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Avoiding Negative Outcomes: Tracking the Mechanisms of Avoidance Learning in Humans During Fear Conditioning

Previous research across species has shown that the amygdala is critical for learning about aversive outcomes, while the striatum is involved in reward-related processing. Less is known, however, about the role of the amygdala and the striatum in learning how to exert control over emotions and avoid...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Delgado, Mauricio R., Jou, Rita L., LeDoux, Joseph E., Phelps, Elizabeth A.
Formato: Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Research Foundation 2009
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2762377/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19847311
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/neuro.08.033.2009
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author Delgado, Mauricio R.
Jou, Rita L.
LeDoux, Joseph E.
Phelps, Elizabeth A.
author_facet Delgado, Mauricio R.
Jou, Rita L.
LeDoux, Joseph E.
Phelps, Elizabeth A.
author_sort Delgado, Mauricio R.
collection PubMed
description Previous research across species has shown that the amygdala is critical for learning about aversive outcomes, while the striatum is involved in reward-related processing. Less is known, however, about the role of the amygdala and the striatum in learning how to exert control over emotions and avoid negative outcomes. One potential mechanism for active avoidance of stressful situations is postulated to involve amygdala–striatal interactions. The goal of this study was to investigate the physiological and neural correlates underlying avoidance learning in humans. Specifically, we used a classical conditioning paradigm where three different conditioned stimuli (CS) were presented. One stimulus predicted the delivery of a shock upon stimulus offset (CS+), while another predicted no negative consequences (CS−). A third conditioned cue also predicted delivery of a shock, but participants were instructed that upon seeing this stimulus, they could avoid the shock if they chose the correct action (AV+). After successful learning, participants could then easily terminate the shock during subsequent stimulus presentations (AV−). Physiological responses (as measured by skin conductance responses) confirmed a main effect of conditioning, particularly showing higher arousal responses during pre (AV+) compared to post (AV−) learning of an avoidance response. Consistent with animal models, amygdala–striatal interactions were observed to underlie the acquisition of an avoidance response. These results support a mechanism of active coping with conditioned fear that allows for the control over emotional responses such as fears that can become maladaptive and influence our decision-making.
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spelling pubmed-27623772009-10-21 Avoiding Negative Outcomes: Tracking the Mechanisms of Avoidance Learning in Humans During Fear Conditioning Delgado, Mauricio R. Jou, Rita L. LeDoux, Joseph E. Phelps, Elizabeth A. Front Behav Neurosci Neuroscience Previous research across species has shown that the amygdala is critical for learning about aversive outcomes, while the striatum is involved in reward-related processing. Less is known, however, about the role of the amygdala and the striatum in learning how to exert control over emotions and avoid negative outcomes. One potential mechanism for active avoidance of stressful situations is postulated to involve amygdala–striatal interactions. The goal of this study was to investigate the physiological and neural correlates underlying avoidance learning in humans. Specifically, we used a classical conditioning paradigm where three different conditioned stimuli (CS) were presented. One stimulus predicted the delivery of a shock upon stimulus offset (CS+), while another predicted no negative consequences (CS−). A third conditioned cue also predicted delivery of a shock, but participants were instructed that upon seeing this stimulus, they could avoid the shock if they chose the correct action (AV+). After successful learning, participants could then easily terminate the shock during subsequent stimulus presentations (AV−). Physiological responses (as measured by skin conductance responses) confirmed a main effect of conditioning, particularly showing higher arousal responses during pre (AV+) compared to post (AV−) learning of an avoidance response. Consistent with animal models, amygdala–striatal interactions were observed to underlie the acquisition of an avoidance response. These results support a mechanism of active coping with conditioned fear that allows for the control over emotional responses such as fears that can become maladaptive and influence our decision-making. Frontiers Research Foundation 2009-10-01 /pmc/articles/PMC2762377/ /pubmed/19847311 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/neuro.08.033.2009 Text en Copyright © 2009 Delgado, Jou, LeDoux and Phelps. http://www.frontiersin.org/licenseagreement This is an open-access article subject to an exclusive license agreement between the authors and the Frontiers Research Foundation, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original authors and source are credited.
spellingShingle Neuroscience
Delgado, Mauricio R.
Jou, Rita L.
LeDoux, Joseph E.
Phelps, Elizabeth A.
Avoiding Negative Outcomes: Tracking the Mechanisms of Avoidance Learning in Humans During Fear Conditioning
title Avoiding Negative Outcomes: Tracking the Mechanisms of Avoidance Learning in Humans During Fear Conditioning
title_full Avoiding Negative Outcomes: Tracking the Mechanisms of Avoidance Learning in Humans During Fear Conditioning
title_fullStr Avoiding Negative Outcomes: Tracking the Mechanisms of Avoidance Learning in Humans During Fear Conditioning
title_full_unstemmed Avoiding Negative Outcomes: Tracking the Mechanisms of Avoidance Learning in Humans During Fear Conditioning
title_short Avoiding Negative Outcomes: Tracking the Mechanisms of Avoidance Learning in Humans During Fear Conditioning
title_sort avoiding negative outcomes: tracking the mechanisms of avoidance learning in humans during fear conditioning
topic Neuroscience
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2762377/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19847311
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/neuro.08.033.2009
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