Longitudinal and multimodal investigations of the modulation of fear- and anxiety-related processes by life adversity – predictive and buffering factors. (B07)
Project Description
Our study investigates why some individuals experience relapse into anxious behaviors after successful treatment, especially following stressful life events. We use a specialized experimental paradigm called differential fear conditioning, which examines how people distinguish between threat-related and safe cues. After an initial learning phase, where fear responses are acquired, participants undergo extinction to reduce these responses. Later, we test how easily fear returns through a process called reinstatement, when threatening stimuli are presented unexpectedly. In this study, 120 healthy participants complete this procedure, with measurements including skin conductance responses, fMRI data, and subjective fear ratings. Additionally, we assess recent life stressors experienced over the past six months. After six months, 95 participants return to repeat the same test, allowing us to track changes over time. The goal of this research is to understand individual differences in vulnerability to fear relapse. These insights could ultimately help develop personalized interventions to promote long-term remission and prevent relapse in anxiety disorders.
