Neural underpinnings of contingency awareness in human fear conditioning
Introduction The recognition of the conditioned-unconditioned stimulus (CS-US) association in classical conditioning is referred to as contingency awareness. The neural underpinnings of contingency awareness in human fear conditioning are poorly understood. Objectives We aimed to explore the EEG...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2021-04-01
|
| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821012980/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797616777243394048 |
|---|---|
| author | Y. Pavlov B. Kotchoubey |
| author_facet | Y. Pavlov B. Kotchoubey |
| author_sort | Y. Pavlov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
The recognition of the conditioned-unconditioned stimulus (CS-US) association in classical conditioning is referred to as contingency awareness. The neural underpinnings of contingency awareness in human fear conditioning are poorly understood.
Objectives
We aimed to explore the EEG correlates of contingency awareness.
Methods
Here, we recorded electroencephalography (EEG) from a sample of 20 participants in a semantic conditioning experiment. In the acquisition phase the participants were presented with sequences of words from two semantic categories paired with tactile stimulation followed by presentation of a neutral sound (US-) ((e.g., animals -> left hand vibration -> US-, clothes -> right hand vibration -> US-). In the test phase the association violated in 50% of trials which followed by a presentation of a loud noise (US+). The participants were only instructed to listen carefully. On the basis of self-reported contingency awareness, twenty participants were divided in aware (N=12) and unaware (N=8) group.
Results
The aware group expressed a non-lateralized effect of alpha-beta (12-23 Hz) suppression along with a more negative CNV at central channels preceding presentation of the vibration (main effect of Group). Also, CNV was more negative in expectation of US+ comparing with expectation of US- in the aware group but not in the unaware group.
Conclusions
The results indicate that contingency awareness is accompanied by neural patterns reflecting expectation as can be seen in the suppression of somatosensory alpha-beta activity before expected presentation of the vibration as well as in CNV in expectation of an aversive event.
|
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:46:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4d624656fa784687a3d8838c095447bf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:46:10Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-4d624656fa784687a3d8838c095447bf2023-11-17T05:07:37ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852021-04-0164S485S48610.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.1298Neural underpinnings of contingency awareness in human fear conditioningY. Pavlov0B. Kotchoubey1Department Of Psychology, Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation Institute Of Medical Psychology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, GermanyInstitute Of Medical Psychology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany Introduction The recognition of the conditioned-unconditioned stimulus (CS-US) association in classical conditioning is referred to as contingency awareness. The neural underpinnings of contingency awareness in human fear conditioning are poorly understood. Objectives We aimed to explore the EEG correlates of contingency awareness. Methods Here, we recorded electroencephalography (EEG) from a sample of 20 participants in a semantic conditioning experiment. In the acquisition phase the participants were presented with sequences of words from two semantic categories paired with tactile stimulation followed by presentation of a neutral sound (US-) ((e.g., animals -> left hand vibration -> US-, clothes -> right hand vibration -> US-). In the test phase the association violated in 50% of trials which followed by a presentation of a loud noise (US+). The participants were only instructed to listen carefully. On the basis of self-reported contingency awareness, twenty participants were divided in aware (N=12) and unaware (N=8) group. Results The aware group expressed a non-lateralized effect of alpha-beta (12-23 Hz) suppression along with a more negative CNV at central channels preceding presentation of the vibration (main effect of Group). Also, CNV was more negative in expectation of US+ comparing with expectation of US- in the aware group but not in the unaware group. Conclusions The results indicate that contingency awareness is accompanied by neural patterns reflecting expectation as can be seen in the suppression of somatosensory alpha-beta activity before expected presentation of the vibration as well as in CNV in expectation of an aversive event. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821012980/type/journal_articleEEGERPFear conditioningcontingency awareness |
| spellingShingle | Y. Pavlov B. Kotchoubey Neural underpinnings of contingency awareness in human fear conditioning European Psychiatry EEG ERP Fear conditioning contingency awareness |
| title | Neural underpinnings of contingency awareness in human fear conditioning |
| title_full | Neural underpinnings of contingency awareness in human fear conditioning |
| title_fullStr | Neural underpinnings of contingency awareness in human fear conditioning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neural underpinnings of contingency awareness in human fear conditioning |
| title_short | Neural underpinnings of contingency awareness in human fear conditioning |
| title_sort | neural underpinnings of contingency awareness in human fear conditioning |
| topic | EEG ERP Fear conditioning contingency awareness |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821012980/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ypavlov neuralunderpinningsofcontingencyawarenessinhumanfearconditioning AT bkotchoubey neuralunderpinningsofcontingencyawarenessinhumanfearconditioning |