RecruitingNot ApplicableNCT04770584

Fear and Avoidance in PTSD Patients

Neural Correlates of Active Avoidance Learning and Their Interactions With Fear Extinction Mechanisms in PTSD Patients

Sponsor

The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Enrollment

300 participants

Start Date

Sep 9, 2021

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Conditions

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Summary

The purpose of this research study is to study how the brain learns to avoid certain stimuli or situations using an experimental paradigm. The big goal is to measure brain responses and subject's feelings and expectations when they are learning to actively avoid experimental stimuli, and how fear extinction learning and monetary cost can change how and when subjects are to avoid.

Eligibility

Min Age: 18 YearsMax Age: 70 Years

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

This study looks at how people with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) process fear and learn to feel safe again — compared to people who experienced trauma but don't have PTSD, and people with no trauma history. Understanding these differences could lead to better treatments for PTSD. **You may be eligible if...** - You are 18–70 years old - You have a current diagnosis of PTSD (for the PTSD group), OR - You have experienced trauma but do not have PTSD (for the trauma-control group), OR - You have no history of trauma and no psychiatric disorders (for the healthy control group) - You are willing and able to give informed consent **You may NOT be eligible if...** - You have a history of neurological disease (e.g., tic disorder) - You have active or recent suicidal thoughts or self-harm behavior - You are pregnant or breastfeeding - You have a metal implant or other condition preventing brain imaging Talk to your doctor to see if this trial is right for you.

This summary was AI-generated to explain the trial in plain language. It is not medical advice. Always discuss eligibility with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.

Interested in this trial?

Get notified about updates and connect with the research team.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALFear Conditioning

Participants will be administered increasing intensities of mild electric shock via electrodes connected to the foot. New Biopac stimulators that can deliver higher shock intensity, provided participants agreement will be used to assure adequate conditioning levels. Stimulation is measures in milliamps (mA), and each delivered stimulation will be 0.5 seconds long (500 milliseconds). To colored (blue, red, \& yellow) light stimuli (CS). The light stimulus is followed by a shock or no shock depending on color.

OTHERAvoidance conditioning

Via button pressing. Only one stimulus-CS will enable control over experiencing the shock: the participant can press the button during the first 2 seconds of the light presentation to avoid the shock.

OTHERPavlovian fear extinction learning

After avoidance conditioning, the CS+ associated with avoidance responding appears with no button to press and no shock is administered.

OTHERWillingness to pay to avoid shock

On the next day, participants receive a monetary stipend to use to pay to guarantee that they are not to receive any shocks if they press a button from the CS+. This and all previously described experimental phases noted above will occur inside of the fMRI scanner.