NCT04975009

Neuroimaging Memories of Fear and Safety in the Human Brain

Localizing and Modulating Competing Memories of Fear and Safety in the Human Brain

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 240 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Texas at Austin · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 50 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The purpose of this research is to use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate how the brain forms associations between neutral and negative stimuli. The ultimate goal is to understand the neural systems involved in regulating negative emotional responses to fearful stimuli.

Detailed description

This study uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate how the brain forms associations between neutral stimuli and a mildly uncomfortable electrical stimulation to the wrist. Referred to as Pavlovian fear conditioning. The goal is to compare brain activity between individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and healthy control subjects without PTSD. PTSD is characterized by excessive fear and anxiety, including in harmless situations. The data here will help us better understand dysregulation in neural circuitry involved in fear recovery, which has implications for improving treatment.

Conditions

• Fear Anxiety
• PTSD

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Fear conditioning	Participants will learn to associate neutral stimuli with a mildly uncomfortable electrical stimulation to the wrist. The intensity of the electrical stimulus is calibrated prior to the start of the experiment to a level deemed highly annoying but not painful by the participant.

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-07-12
• Primary completion: 2025-12-31
• Completion: 2025-12-31
• First posted: 2021-07-23
• Last updated: 2022-05-17

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: United States