Evidence of fearlessness in behaviourally disordered children: a study on startle reflex modulation

Goozen, Stephanie Helena Maria Van; Snoek, Heddeke; Matthys, Walter; Rossum, Inge van; Engeland, Hermán van

doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00280.x

Cited by 60 publications

(43 citation statements)

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“…One interpretation of this result is that startle reactivity may change with the onset and progression of depression, although this speculation has yet to be tested. Interestingly, children classified as "fearless" have been reported to exhibit significantly reduced startle responses (Goozen et al, 2004). These findings support the potential utility of startle as a potential "trait" marker for mapping of genes involved with anxiety phenotypes (Baker et al, 2006).…”

mentioning

confidence: 64%

Role of corticotropin releasing factor in anxiety disorders: A translational research perspective

Risbrough

Stein

2006

Hormones and Behavior

211

139

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Anxiety disorders are a group of mental disorders that include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, phobic disorders (e.g., specific phobias, agoraphobia, social phobia) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Anxiety disorders are among the most common of all mental disorders and, when coupled with an awareness of the disability and reduced quality of life they convey, they must be recognized as a serious public health problem. Over 20 years of preclinical studies point to a role for the CRF system in anxiety and stress responses. Clinical studies have supported a model of CRF dysfunction in depression and more recently a potential contribution to specific anxiety disorders (i.e., panic disorder and PTSD). Much work remains in both the clinical and preclinical fields to inform models of CRF function and its contribution to anxiety. First, we will review the current findings of CRF and HPA axis abnormalities in anxiety disorders. Second, we will discuss startle reflex measures as a tool for translational research to determine the role of the CRF system in development and maintenance of clinical anxiety. KeywordsCRH; CRF; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Anxiety; Panic disorder; Startle Overview of CRF neuroendocrine effects and its effects on G-protein-coupled receptorsCorticotropin releasing factor (CRF; also termed "CRH" for corticotropin releasing hormone) was first described in Science by Vale et al. (1981). They reported the discovery of a hypothesized hypothalamic factor, CRF, a 41 amino acid peptide which selectively and potently activated pituitary corticotropin (or adrenal corticotropin releasing hormone, ACTH) secretion. They predicted that this peptide could be "a key signal in mediating and integrating an organism's endocrine, visceral and behavioral response to stress" (Vale et al., 1981(Vale et al., p. 1397). More than 20 years of subsequent animal research and clinical studies have confirmed this hypothesis, supporting a role for CRF, and its more recently discovered ligand family Urocortin 1, 2 and 3, in anxiety and stress responses Reyes et al., 2001;Spina et al., 1996). In this review, we will focus on the current state of knowledge of CRF system dysregulation in clinical anxiety and discuss future avenues of translational research on the role of CRF in startle phenotypes observed in some anxiety disorders. CRF mediation of the neuroendocrine response to stressIn response to stress, CRF is released from the median eminence of the hypothalamus, where it subsequently binds to receptors at the anterior pituitary and increases ACTH release into the * Corresponding author. 8950 Villa La Jolla Drive, Suite B-218, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. E-mail address: mstein@ucsd.edu (M.B. Stein). bloodstream. ACTH consequently acts at the adrenal cortex to facilitate release of glucocorticoids such as cortisol. This system, known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), is an important component of the response to stress and has been shown to be dysregulated in both anxiety and de...

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mentioning

confidence: 64%

Role of corticotropin releasing factor in anxiety disorders: A translational research perspective

Risbrough

Stein

2006

Hormones and Behavior

211

139

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“…Because physically aggressive acts likely involve a certain amount of fearlessness to execute, and because a lack of fear may impair learning the negative consequences of aggression (e.g., fear conditioning), fearlessness has been posited as a likely mechanism in the ability to carry out and maintain levels of aggressive behavior. In one empirical examination of this theory, van Goozen et al (2004) examined the startle reflex of children with disruptive behavior disorders and a control group. While no group differences in startle response to negative stimuli were found, within the disruptive behavior group, severity of delinquency was associated with the magnitude of the startle response.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Baseline autonomic nervous system arousal and physical and relational aggression in preschool: The moderating role of effortful control

Gower

Crick

2011

International Journal of Psychophysiology

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“…These include studies on substance abuse (Finn, Zeitouni, & Pihl, 1990;Taylor, 2004), harm avoidance (e.g., Grillon & Ameli, 2001), impulsivity and impulsive asociality (e.g., Benning, Patrick, & Iacono, 2005;Verschuere, Crombez, De Clercq, & Koster, 2005), fearlessness (e.g., van Goozen, Snoek, Matthys, van Rossum, & van Engeland, 2004), conduct problems (Quay, 1997), and antisocial personality characteristics (e.g., Babcock, Green, Webb, & Yerington, 2005;Lorber, 2004;Patrick et al, 1993;Patrick, Cuthbert, & Lang, 1994). Among the most widely studied psychophysiological measures are cardiovascular (e.g., heart rate, blood pressure), electrodermal, and startle eyeblink responses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychophysiological Response Patterns and Risky Sexual Behavior in Heterosexual and Homosexual Men

et al. 2008

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The past few years have seen an increased awareness of the relevance of studying the role of sexual response, emotion, and traits such as sensation seeking and the propensity for sexual inhibition in risky sexual behavior. The current study examined the association between self-reported sexual risk taking and psychophysiological response patterns in 76 heterosexual and homosexual men. Measures included genital, electrodermal, startle eyeblink, and cardiovascular responses, and stimuli included threatening (depicting coercive sexual interactions) and nonthreatening (depicting consensual sexual interactions) sexual film excerpts. Sexual risk taking was hypothesized to be associated with decreased inhibition of sexual arousal and hyporeactive affective and autonomic responses to threatening sexual stimuli. Controlling for age and number of sexual partners in the past year, sexual risk taking (number of partners during the past 3 years with whom no condoms were used) was found to be associated with stronger genital responses and smaller eyeblink responses to both threatening and nonthreatening sexual stimuli. Correlations between genital and subjective sexual arousal were relatively low. Sexual risk taking was related to sensation seeking but not to the propensity for sexual inhibition. The findings suggest that risky sexual behavior may involve a role for psychophysiological mechanisms that are specific to sex as well as for ones that are associated with more general approach/avoidance response tendencies.

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Evidence of fearlessness in behaviourally disordered children: a study on startle reflex modulation

Abstract: The results suggest a deficit in neurophysiological fear modulation. The implications of the findings for the fearlessness theory of antisocial behaviour are discussed.

Cited by 60 publications

References 59 publications

Role of corticotropin releasing factor in anxiety disorders: A translational research perspective

Role of corticotropin releasing factor in anxiety disorders: A translational research perspective

Baseline autonomic nervous system arousal and physical and relational aggression in preschool: The moderating role of effortful control

Psychophysiological Response Patterns and Risky Sexual Behavior in Heterosexual and Homosexual Men

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