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Stussi Y, Coppin G. Letter to the Editor: Stimulus intensities and sensory modalities constitute two major challenges for online threat conditioning research. Biol Psychol 2024:108805. [PMID: 38679403 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2024.108805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Yoann Stussi
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, Campus Biotech, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Psychology, FPSE, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Géraldine Coppin
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, Campus Biotech, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; UniDistance Suisse, Brig, Switzerland
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Mitchell BJ, Coifman KG, Olatunji BO. Is disgust more resistant to extinction than fear? A meta-analytic review of laboratory paradigms. Behav Res Ther 2024; 174:104479. [PMID: 38301293 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2024.104479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Disgust can be acquired via evaluative conditioning; a process by which a neutral stimulus (conditioned stimulus; CS) comes to be evaluated as disgusting due to its pairing with an inherently disgusting stimulus (unconditioned stimulus; US). Research has shown that conditioned disgust responses are resistant to extinction which may have implications for disorders (i.e., contamination-based obsessive-compulsive disorder, specific phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorder) in which heightened disgust has been implicated. Importantly, extinction is the primary mechanism by which exposure therapies are thought to achieve symptom reduction for these disorders. Exposure therapies were originally modeled on fear extinction, whereas disgust extinction was largely overlooked until recently. Accordingly, differences in the degree to which learned disgust and fear can be attenuated via extinction learning remains unclear. The present investigation was a meta-analysis directly comparing the degree of extinction of conditioned disgust (n = 14) and conditioned fear (n = 14) in laboratory paradigms. Extinction was operationalized as the standardized mean difference (SMD) in evaluative ratings between the CS+ (the CS paired with the US) and CS- (the unpaired CS) after extinction training. Results of a subgroup analysis indicated that disgust (SMD = 0.52) was significantly more resistant to extinction than fear (SMD = 0.37). Additionally, a series of meta-regression analyses indicated that extinction was not influenced by important study characteristics (e.g., sex, age, number of conditioning and extinction trials). The findings suggest that extinction-based approaches may be less effective at attenuating learned disgust and research is needed to better optimize treatments for disgust-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Mitchell
- Department of Psychological Science, Kent State University, l, Kent, OH, United States.
| | - Karin G Coifman
- Department of Psychological Science, Kent State University, l, Kent, OH, United States
| | - Bunmi O Olatunji
- Psychological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
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Amir Hamzah K, Toms LM, Kucharski N, Orr J, Turner NP, Hobson P, Nichols DS, Ney LJ. Sex-dimorphism in human serum endocannabinoid and n-acyl ethanolamine concentrations across the lifespan. Sci Rep 2023; 13:23059. [PMID: 38155287 PMCID: PMC10754838 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50426-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The endocannabinoid (ECB) system has recently been considered a potential treatment target for various clinical disorders. However, research around age- and sex-related changes within the ECB system is relatively limited. To improve our understanding of these changes, the current study measured arachidonoyl ethanolamide (AEA), 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG), oleoylethanolamine (OEA), palmitoylethanolamine (PEA), arachidonic acid (AA), cortisol, and progesterone in pooled serum samples stratified by sex (male and female) and age groups (5-15; 15-30; 30-45; 45-60; 60-75; 85+), using liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Serum progesterone levels significantly increased in females of the 15-30 and 30-45 age groups, before declining. Significantly higher cortisol, AEA, 2-AG, OEA, and PEA were found in males and in older age, while significantly higher AA was found in females. Our results indicate that ECBs and related hormones exhibit sexual dimorphism in the age ranges that correspond with female pregnancy, menopause, and post menopause. Male testosterone levels most likely influences male ECB changes throughout the lifespan. Future research could capitalise on these findings by performing repeated measurements in individuals in a longitudinal style, to further refine the temporal profile of age-specific changes to the ECB system identified here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalisa Amir Hamzah
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, 149 Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, 4059, Australia.
| | - Leisa-Maree Toms
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Australia
| | - Nathaniel Kucharski
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Australia
| | - Julia Orr
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
| | - Natalie P Turner
- The Centre for Children's Health Research (CCHR), Queensland University of Technology, 62 Graham Street, South Brisbane, QLD, 4101, Australia
| | - Peter Hobson
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
- Sullivan and Nicolaides Pathology, 24 Hurworth Street, Bowen Hills, QLD, 4006, Australia
| | - David S Nichols
- Central Science Laboratory, University of Tasmania, Sydney, Australia
| | - Luke J Ney
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, 149 Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, 4059, Australia
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Ney LJ, Nichols DS, Lipp OV. Fear conditioning depends on the nature of the unconditional stimulus and may be related to hair levels of endocannabinoids. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14297. [PMID: 36959707 PMCID: PMC10909444 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
The replicability of fear conditioning research has come under recent scrutiny, with increasing acknowledgment that the use of differing materials and methods may lead to incongruent results. Direct comparisons between the main two unconditional stimuli used in fear conditioning - an electric shock or a loud scream-are scarce, and yet these stimuli are usually used interchangeably. In the present study, we tested whether a scream, a shock, or an unpredictable combination of the two affected fear acquisition, extinction, and return of fear amongst healthy participants (N = 109, 81 female). We also collected hair samples and tested the relationship between fear conditioning and hair endocannabinoid levels. Our findings suggest that, although subjective ratings of pleasantness, arousal, and anxiety were similar regardless of the unconditional stimuli used, skin conductance responses were significantly lower for stimuli paired with the scream compared to a shock alone. Further, reducing the predictability of the unconditional stimulus reduced habituation of skin conductance responses during acquisition and reacquisition, but did not produce stronger conditioning compared to shock alone. Exploratory analyses suggested that hair endocannabinoids were associated with overall physiological arousal during fear conditioning, as well as higher return of fear to the threat cue, but not to the safety cue. These findings have multiple implications for the design and replicability of fear conditioning research and provide the first evidence for an association between hair levels of endocannabinoids and human fear conditioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke J. Ney
- School of Psychology and CounsellingQueensland University of TechnologyBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - David S. Nichols
- Central Science LaboratoryUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Ottmar V. Lipp
- School of Psychology and CounsellingQueensland University of TechnologyBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
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Ney LJ, Akosile W, Davey C, Pitcher L, Felmingham KL, Mayo LM, Hill MN, Strodl E. Challenges and considerations for treating PTSD with medicinal cannabis: the Australian clinician's perspective. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol 2023; 16:1093-1108. [PMID: 37885234 DOI: 10.1080/17512433.2023.2276309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Preclinical and experimental research have provided promising evidence that medicinal cannabis may be efficacious in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, implementation of medicinal cannabis into routine clinical therapies may not be straightforward. AREAS COVERED In this review, we describe some of the clinical, practical, and safety challenges that must be addressed for cannabis-based treatment of PTSD to be feasible in a real-world setting. These issues are especially prevalent if medicinal cannabis is to be combined with trauma-focused psychotherapy. EXPERT OPINION Future consideration of the clinical and practical considerations of cannabis use in PTSD therapy will be essential to both the efficacy and safety of the treatment protocols that are being developed. These issues include dose timing and titration, potential for addiction, product formulation, windows of intervention, and route of administration. In particular, exposure therapy for PTSD involves recall of intense emotions, and the interaction between cannabis use and reliving of trauma memories must be explored in terms of patient safety and impact on therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke J Ney
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Wole Akosile
- Greater Brisbane Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Chris Davey
- Department of Psychiatry, Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | | | - Kim L Felmingham
- School of Psychological Sciences, Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Leah M Mayo
- Department of Psychiatry, Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research, and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Matthew N Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research, and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Esben Strodl
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
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