View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Fear Learning and Generalization.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Genetic and Environmental Influences on Fear Learning and Generalization.
Authors: Sheerin, Christina M. (AUTHOR), Moore, Ashlee A. (AUTHOR), Sawyers, Chelsea (AUTHOR), Kirkpatrick, Robert (AUTHOR), Hettema, John M. (AUTHOR), Roberson‐Nay, Roxann (AUTHOR)
Source: Psychophysiology. Apr2025, Vol. 62 Issue 4, p1-10. 10p.
Subjects: Startle reaction, Stimulus generalization, Electric shock, Young adults, Conditioned response
Abstract: Understanding how excessive fear responses develop and persist is critical. Research using laboratory models of fear learning offers valuable insights on etiology. In this study, the influence of genetic and environmental etiology of baseline startle response and fear learning was examined, focusing on fear acquisition and generalization processes using the fear conditioning paradigm measuring fear‐potentiated startle (FPS) in a sample of adolescents and young adult twins (15–20 years old). Participants (N = 794) completed fear acquisition and generalization training that consisted of quasi‐randomly presented rings of gradually increasing size. The extreme sizes served as conditioned danger cues (CS+) paired with electric shock as the unconditioned stimulus and conditioned safety cues (CS−), with rings of intermediary size serving as generalization stimuli. As an index of fear learning, FPS was measured using the magnitude of eyeblink startle reflex to a sound probe. Twin model estimates indicated that both pre‐acquisition startle (startle probe responses to stimuli prior to conditioning) and FPS (startle probe responses after conditioning during acquisition and generalization) exhibited modest to moderate heritability (26%–43%), aligning with previous studies on FPS. We also observed that the genetic influences on FPS were highly correlated with pre‐acquisition startle, indicating minimal genetic innovation on FPS. This finding implies that fear responses might be regulated, from a genetic perspective, by general startle response as opposed to specific fear‐learning‐related factors. We discuss the resulting implications for measurement of biomarkers for fear and anxiety disorders. Impact Statement: Twin studies of the overall startle response have demonstrated evidence of heritability, but much less is known about the genetic influence on emotional modulation of startle (i.e., fear potentiated startle; FPS). Furthermore, to date there has been no examination of the heritability of generalization of startle response. Our findings demonstrated moderate heritability of FPS but suggested minimal genetic innovation on FPS beyond genetic influences on habituation startle. These results have implications for the use of FPS for biomarker identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Psychophysiology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: pbh
DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
An: 184767300
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Genetic and Environmental Influences on Fear Learning and Generalization.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sheerin%2C+Christina+M%2E%22">Sheerin, Christina M.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Moore%2C+Ashlee+A%2E%22">Moore, Ashlee A.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sawyers%2C+Chelsea%22">Sawyers, Chelsea</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kirkpatrick%2C+Robert%22">Kirkpatrick, Robert</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hettema%2C+John+M%2E%22">Hettema, John M.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Roberson‐Nay%2C+Roxann%22">Roberson‐Nay, Roxann</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Psychophysiology%22">Psychophysiology</searchLink>. Apr2025, Vol. 62 Issue 4, p1-10. 10p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Startle+reaction%22">Startle reaction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stimulus+generalization%22">Stimulus generalization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electric+shock%22">Electric shock</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Young+adults%22">Young adults</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Conditioned+response%22">Conditioned response</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Understanding how excessive fear responses develop and persist is critical. Research using laboratory models of fear learning offers valuable insights on etiology. In this study, the influence of genetic and environmental etiology of baseline startle response and fear learning was examined, focusing on fear acquisition and generalization processes using the fear conditioning paradigm measuring fear‐potentiated startle (FPS) in a sample of adolescents and young adult twins (15–20 years old). Participants (N = 794) completed fear acquisition and generalization training that consisted of quasi‐randomly presented rings of gradually increasing size. The extreme sizes served as conditioned danger cues (CS+) paired with electric shock as the unconditioned stimulus and conditioned safety cues (CS−), with rings of intermediary size serving as generalization stimuli. As an index of fear learning, FPS was measured using the magnitude of eyeblink startle reflex to a sound probe. Twin model estimates indicated that both pre‐acquisition startle (startle probe responses to stimuli prior to conditioning) and FPS (startle probe responses after conditioning during acquisition and generalization) exhibited modest to moderate heritability (26%–43%), aligning with previous studies on FPS. We also observed that the genetic influences on FPS were highly correlated with pre‐acquisition startle, indicating minimal genetic innovation on FPS. This finding implies that fear responses might be regulated, from a genetic perspective, by general startle response as opposed to specific fear‐learning‐related factors. We discuss the resulting implications for measurement of biomarkers for fear and anxiety disorders. Impact Statement: Twin studies of the overall startle response have demonstrated evidence of heritability, but much less is known about the genetic influence on emotional modulation of startle (i.e., fear potentiated startle; FPS). Furthermore, to date there has been no examination of the heritability of generalization of startle response. Our findings demonstrated moderate heritability of FPS but suggested minimal genetic innovation on FPS beyond genetic influences on habituation startle. These results have implications for the use of FPS for biomarker identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Psychophysiology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=184767300
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/psyp.70052
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 10
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Startle reaction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Stimulus generalization
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Electric shock
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Young adults
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Conditioned response
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Genetic and Environmental Influences on Fear Learning and Generalization.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Sheerin, Christina M.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Moore, Ashlee A.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Sawyers, Chelsea
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Kirkpatrick, Robert
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Hettema, John M.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Roberson‐Nay, Roxann
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 04
              Text: Apr2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 00485772
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 62
            – Type: issue
              Value: 4
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Psychophysiology
              Type: main
ResultId 1