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Completed

NCT Number: NCT00055224

Expectation of Unpleasant Events in Anxiety Disorders

Fear and anxiety are normal responses to a threat. However, anxiety is considered abnormal when the response to the threat is excessive or inappropriate. This study will examine changes in the body and brain that occur during unpleasant learning experiences in healthy volunteers with high, moderate, and low levels of anxiety.

A high degree of generalized anxiety is a component of many anxiety disorders and is regarded as a marker of vulnerability for these disorders. People with anxiety disorders and individuals with high degrees of anxiety have inappropriate expectations of unpleasant events. This study will investigate the development of expecting unpleasant events in healthy volunteers with varying degrees of anxiety using aversive conditioning models. A later phase of the study will enroll participants with anxiety disorders and compare their responses to those of healthy volunteers.

Patients who meet criteria for an anxiety disorder, and healthy volunteers who have no history of psychiatric or major medical illness will be enrolled in this study. Volunteers will come to the NIH Clinical Center three times for outpatient testing....

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Key information

Conditions

Anxiety Disorders Agoraphobia Generalized Anxiety Disorder Mental Disorders Panic Disorder Phobic Disorders

Age range

18 year–50 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike

Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

About this study

High-generalized anxiety is a concomitant of many anxiety disorders and is often regarded as a vulnerability marker for these disorders. One characteristic of patients with anxiety disorders and high trait-anxious individuals is inappropriate expectancies of aversive events. The overall aim of the present protocol is to investigate mechanisms that may promote the development of these aversive expectancies using expectancy-based, associative-learning models.

During aversive conditioning in which a phasic explicit-cue (e.g., a light) is repeatedly associated with an aversive unconditioned-stimulus (e.g., a shock), the organism develops fear to the explicit cue as well as to the environmental context in which the experiment took place. We have obtained preliminary evidence suggesting that contextual fear represents aspects of aversive states that are central to anxiety disorders. In this protocol, we seek further evidence for the relevance of contextual fear to mood anxiety disorders.

One important determinant of contextual fear in both humans and animals is predictability: contextual fear increases when aversive events (e.g., electric shock) are unpredictable, as opposed to when they are predictable. The present protocol will examine the role of predictability of aversive states and of conditioning on threat appraisal in individuals with mood and anxiety disorders.

A second aim is to examine the interaction between experimentally-induced anxiety and cognitive processes, more specifically working memory, in mood and anxiety disorders.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

  • INCLUSION CRITERIA:
  • Inclusion criteria for both patients and healthy controls
  • All subjects must be able to give written informed consent prior to participation in this study.
  • PATIENTS ONLY: May have DSM-IV-TR diagnoses of an anxiety disorder (GAD; SAD; Panic disorder; specific phobia) or mood disorder (MDD; BP).
  • PATIENTS ONLY: May be taking the mood stabilizers, Depakote or Lithium Carbonate.
  • Speaks English fluently

Exclusion criteria

  • Exclusion criteria for healthy subjects
  • Female subjects who are currently pregnant
  • Subjects who meet DSM-IV criteria for current alcohol or substance abuse
  • Subjects with a history of alcohol or substance dependence within 6 months prior to screening
  • Current Axis I psychiatric disorders as identified with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR axis disorders, non-patient edition (SCID-np). Past history of any psychotic disorder or bipolar disorder.
  • intelligence quotient (I-Q)<80
  • Medical illnesses (such as diabetes or hypertension) or neurological illnesses (such as carpal tunnel syndrome for shocks to be delivered on affected arm; organic brain impairment; seizure disorder) likely to interfere with the study.
  • Subjects who are on a medication that may interfere with the study.
  • Employee of National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) or an immediate family member who is a NIMH employee.
  • Exclusion criteria for patients
  • Patients who would be unable to comply with study procedures or assessments;
  • Female patients who are currently pregnant;
  • Patients who meet DSM-IV criteria for current alcohol or substance abuse
  • Subjects with a history of alcohol or substance dependence within 6 months prior to screening;
  • Patients who are on a medication (other than mood stabilizers lithium carbonate or Depakote) that may interfere with the study
  • Medical illnesses (such as diabetes or hypertension) or neurological illnesses (such as carpal tunnel syndrome; organic brain impairment; seizure disorder) likely to interfere with the study.
  • Patients will be excluded if they have a current or past history of, delirium, dementia, amnestic disorder, any of the pervasive developmental disorders; or cognitive impairment.
  • Current Axis I psychiatric disorders as identified with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR axis disorders, non-patient edition (SCID) with the exception of the mood and anxiety disorders. Past history of any psychotic disorder or bipolar disorder..
  • IQ<80
  • Employee of NIMH or an immediate family member who is an NIMH employee.
  • Additional exclusion criteria for the active avoidance task
  • Color blindness

Treatment and study plan

Threat of shock

Device

During threat, a participant could receive a shock. During safe, a participant could not receive as shock. Participants selected their highest tolerable level of shock.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Percent of Correct Button Presses During Threat Compared to the Safe Condition (AAST)

    Time frame: 2000 ms during trial

    Subjects participated in go/no go (GNG) task condition during periods of threat of shocks and periods of safety when no shock could be administered. During the GNG stimuli were presented on a monitor. In the GNG task, participants were asked to respond to frequent 'go' stimuli ('=') by pressing the '2' on the keypad of a computer keyboard and to withhold their response to infrequent 'nogo' stimuli ('O'). Stimuli were randomly distributed. A correct go hit was a response recorded during these 2000 ms to a go trial. Similarly, a correct nogo omission was a no response during the same period to a nogo trial. Performance was determined for each condition (threat, safe) and trial type (go, nogo) by dividing the number of correct responses by the total number of each trial type. Improvement in accuracy was measured as a higher percent of correct button presses during threat compared to safety.

  2. Change in Percent of Correct no Button Presses During Threat Compared to the Safe Condition

    Time frame: 2000 ms during trial

    Subjects participated in go/no go (GNG) task condition during periods of threat of shocks and periods of safety when no shock could be administered. During the GNG stimuli were presented on a monitor. In the GNG task, participants were asked to respond to frequent 'go' stimuli ('=') by pressing the '2' on the keypad of a computer keyboard and to withhold their response to infrequent 'nogo' stimuli ('O'). Stimuli were randomly distributed. A correct go hit was a response recorded during these 2000 ms to a go trial. Similarly, a correct nogo omission was a no response during the same period to a nogo trial. Performance was determined for each condition (threat, safe) and trial type (go, nogo) by dividing the number of correct responses by the total number of each trial type. Improvement in accuracy was measured as a higher percent of correct button presses during threat compared to safety.

  3. Correct-go Reaction Time (RT) - Safe Condition

    Time frame: 2000 ms during trial

    Correct go responses were go trials followed by button press. Reaction time (RT) is the time it takes to respond to stimuli. Participants RTs were measured while undergoing alternating periods of safety and shock threat conditions i.e. while anticipating unpleasant electric shocks (threat) or no shock (safe). Mean reaction time (RT) was calculated for correct-go to evaluate speed-accuracy trade-off.

  4. Correct-go Reaction Time (RT) - Threat Condition

    Time frame: 2000 ms during trial

    Correct go responses were go trials followed by button press. Reaction time (RT) is the time it takes to respond to stimuli. Participants RTs were measured while undergoing alternating periods of safety and shock threat conditions i.e. while anticipating unpleasant electric shocks (threat) or no shock (safe). Mean reaction time (RT) was calculated for correct-go to evaluate speed-accuracy trade-off.

  5. Go Correct Hits Followed by Button Press - Safe Condition

    Time frame: 2000 ms during trial

    Subjects participated in go/no go (GNG) task condition during periods of threat of shocks and periods of safety when no shock could be administered. During the GNG stimuli were presented on a monitor. In the GNG task, participants were asked to respond to frequent 'go' stimuli ('=') by pressing the '2' on the keypad of a computer keyboard and to withhold their response to infrequent 'nogo' stimuli ('O'). Stimuli were randomly distributed. A correct go hit was a response recorded during these 2000 ms to a go trial. Similarly, a correct nogo omission was a no response during the same period to a nogo trial. Performance was determined for each condition (threat, safe) and trial type (go, nogo) by dividing the number of correct response by the total number of each trial type.

  6. Go Correct Hits Followed by Button Press - Threat Condition

    Time frame: 2000 ms during trial

    Subjects participated in go/no go (GNG) task condition during periods of threat of shocks and periods of safety when no shock could be administered. During the GNG stimuli were presented on a monitor. In the GNG task, participants were asked to respond to frequent (91%) 'go' stimuli ('=') by pressing the '2' on the keypad of a computer keyboard and to withhold their response to infrequent (9%) 'nogo' stimuli ('O'). Stimuli were randomly distributed. A correct go hit was a response recorded during these 2000 ms to a go trial. Similarly, a correct nogo omission was a no response during the same period to a nogo trial. Performance was determined for each condition (threat, safe) and trial type (go, nogo) by dividing the number of correct response by the total number of each trial type.

  7. Nogo Trials Followed by no Button Press - Safe Condition

    Time frame: 2000 ms during trial

    Subjects participated in go/no go (GNG) task condition during periods of threat of shocks and periods of safety when no shock could be administered. During the GNG stimuli were presented on a monitor. In the GNG task, participants were asked to respond to frequent 'go' stimuli ('=') by pressing the '2' on the keypad of a computer keyboard and to withhold their response to infrequent 'nogo' stimuli ('O'). Stimuli were randomly distributed. A correct go hit was a response recorded during these 2000 ms to a go trial. Similarly, a correct nogo omission was a no response during the same period to a nogo trial. Performance was determined for each condition (threat, safe) and trial type (go, nogo) by dividing the number of correct response by the total number of each trial type.

  8. Nogo Trials Followed by no Button Press - Threat Condition

    Time frame: 2000 ms during trial

    Subjects participated in go/no go (GNG) task condition during periods of threat of shocks and periods of safety when no shock could be administered. During the GNG stimuli were presented on a monitor. In the GNG task, participants were asked to respond to frequent 'go' stimuli ('=') by pressing the '2' on the keypad of a computer keyboard and to withhold their response to infrequent 'nogo' stimuli ('O'). Stimuli were randomly distributed. A correct go hit was a response recorded during these 2000 ms to a go trial. Similarly, a correct nogo omission was a no response during the same period to a nogo trial. Performance was determined for each condition (threat, safe) and trial type (go, nogo) by dividing the number of correct response by the total number of each trial type.

  9. Stroop Effect on Accuracy During Congruent Task Viewing Positive Images: Safe Condition

    Time frame: 11.2 minutes per run for a total of 22.4 minutes

    Participants watched as six trial types differing by congruence and emotion (negative, neutral, positive) were presented during condition blocks (safe, threat) on a computer screen. Each trial began with a fixation point which was then immediately followed by a picture stimulus, followed by a numerical display, followed by a repeat of the picture stimulus, and followed by a blank screen. During threat, a participant could receive a shock. During safe, a participant could not receive a shock. The effect of accuracy on congruence across negative, positive, and neutral images in threat and safe conditions was assessed by participants accurate identification of facial expression.

  10. Stroop Effect on Accuracy During Congruent Task Viewing Positive Images: Threat Condition

    Time frame: 11.2 minutes per run for a total of 22.4 minutes

    Participants watched as six trial types differing by congruence and emotion (negative, neutral, positive) were presented during condition blocks (safe, threat) on a computer screen. Each trial began with a fixation point which was then immediately followed by a picture stimulus, followed by a numerical display, followed by a repeat of the picture stimulus, and followed by a blank screen. During threat, a participant could receive a shock. During safe, a participant could not receive a shock. The effect of accuracy on congruence across negative, positive, and neutral images in threat and safe conditions was assessed by participants accurate identification of facial expression.

  11. Stroop Effect on Accuracy During Congruent Task Viewing Negative Images: Safe Condition

    Time frame: 11.2 minutes per run for a total of 22.4 minutes

    Participants watched as six trial types differing by congruence and emotion (negative, neutral, positive) were presented during condition blocks (safe, threat) on a computer screen. Each trial began with a fixation point which was then immediately followed by a picture stimulus, followed by a numerical display, followed by a repeat of the picture stimulus, and followed by a blank screen. During threat, a participant could receive a shock. During safe, a participant could not receive a shock. The effect of accuracy on congruence across negative, positive, and neutral images in threat and safe conditions was assessed by participants accurate identification of facial expression.

  12. Stroop Effect on Accuracy During Congruent Task Viewing Negative Images: Threat Condition

    Time frame: 11.2 minutes per run for a total of 22.4 minutes

    Participants watched as six trial types differing by congruence and emotion (negative, neutral, positive) were presented during condition blocks (safe, threat) on a computer screen. Each trial began with a fixation point which was then immediately followed by a picture stimulus, followed by a numerical display, followed by a repeat of the picture stimulus, and followed by a blank screen. During threat, a participant could receive a shock. During safe, a participant could not receive a shock. The effect of accuracy on congruence across negative, positive, and neutral images in threat and safe conditions was assessed by participants accurate identification of facial expression.

  13. Stroop Effect on Accuracy During Congruent Task Viewing Neutral Images: Safe Condition

    Time frame: 11.2 minutes per run for a total of 22.4 minutes

    Participants watched as six trial types differing by congruence and emotion (negative, neutral, positive) were presented during condition blocks (safe, threat) on a computer screen. Each trial began with a fixation point which was then immediately followed by a picture stimulus, followed by a numerical display, followed by a repeat of the picture stimulus, and followed by a blank screen. During threat, a participant could receive a shock. During safe, a participant could not receive a shock. The effect of accuracy on congruence across negative, positive, and neutral images in threat and safe conditions was assessed by participants accurate identification of facial expression.

  14. Stroop Effect on Accuracy During Congruent Task Viewing Neutral Images: Threat Condition

    Time frame: 11.2 minutes per run for a total of 22.4 minutes

    Participants watched as six trial types differing by congruence and emotion (negative, neutral, positive) were presented during condition blocks (safe, threat) on a computer screen. Each trial began with a fixation point which was then immediately followed by a picture stimulus, followed by a numerical display, followed by a repeat of the picture stimulus, and followed by a blank screen. During threat, a participant could receive a shock. During safe, a participant could not receive a shock. The effect of accuracy on congruence across negative, positive, and neutral images in threat and safe conditions was assessed by participants accurate identification of facial expression.

  15. Stroop Effect on Accuracy During Incongruent Task Viewing Positive Images: Safe Condition

    Time frame: 11.2 minutes per run for a total of 22.4 minutes

    Participants watched as six trial types differing by congruence and emotion (negative, neutral, positive) were presented during condition blocks (safe, threat) on a computer screen. Each trial began with a fixation point which was then immediately followed by a picture stimulus, followed by a numerical display, followed by a repeat of the picture stimulus, and followed by a blank screen. During threat, a participant could receive a shock. During safe, a participant could not receive a shock. The effect of accuracy on congruence across negative, positive, and neutral images in threat and safe conditions was assessed by participants accurate identification of facial expression.

  16. Stroop Effect on Accuracy During Incongruent Task Viewing Positive Images: Threat Condition

    Time frame: 11.2 minutes per run for a total of 22.4 minutes

    Participants watched as six trial types differing by congruence and emotion (negative, neutral, positive) were presented during condition blocks (safe, threat) on a computer screen. Each trial began with a fixation point which was then immediately followed by a picture stimulus, followed by a numerical display, followed by a repeat of the picture stimulus, and followed by a blank screen. During threat, a participant could receive a shock. During safe, a participant could not receive a shock. The effect of accuracy on congruence across negative, positive, and neutral images in threat and safe conditions was assessed by participants accurate identification of facial expression.

  17. Stroop Effect on Accuracy During Incongruent Task Viewing Negative Images: Safe Condition

    Time frame: 11.2 minutes per run for a total of 22.4 minutes

    Participants watched as six trial types differing by congruence and emotion (negative, neutral, positive) were presented during condition blocks (safe, threat) on a computer screen. Each trial began with a fixation point which was then immediately followed by a picture stimulus, followed by a numerical display, followed by a repeat of the picture stimulus, and followed by a blank screen. During threat, a participant could receive a shock. During safe, a participant could not receive a shock. The effect of accuracy on congruence across negative, positive, and neutral images in threat and safe conditions was assessed by participants accurate identification of facial expression.

  18. Stroop Effect on Accuracy During Incongruent Task Viewing Negative Images: Threat Condition

    Time frame: 11.2 minutes per run for a total of 22.4 minutes

    Participants watched as six trial types differing by congruence and emotion (negative, neutral, positive) were presented during condition blocks (safe, threat) on a computer screen. Each trial began with a fixation point which was then immediately followed by a picture stimulus, followed by a numerical display, followed by a repeat of the picture stimulus, and followed by a blank screen. During threat, a participant could receive a shock. During safe, a participant could not receive a shock. The effect of accuracy on congruence across negative, positive, and neutral images in threat and safe conditions was assessed by participants accurate identification of facial expression.

  19. Stroop Effect on Accuracy During Incongruent Task Viewing Neutral Images: Safe Condition

    Time frame: 11.2 minutes per run for a total of 22.4 minutes

    Participants watched as six trial types differing by congruence and emotion (negative, neutral, positive) were presented during condition blocks (safe, threat) on a computer screen. Each trial began with a fixation point which was then immediately followed by a picture stimulus, followed by a numerical display, followed by a repeat of the picture stimulus, and followed by a blank screen. During threat, a participant could receive a shock. During safe, a participant could not receive a shock. The effect of accuracy on congruence across negative, positive, and neutral images in threat and safe conditions was assessed by participants accurate identification of facial expression.

  20. Stroop Effect on Accuracy During Incongruent Task Viewing Neutral Images: Threat Condition

    Time frame: 11.2 minutes per run for a total of 22.4 minutes

    Participants watched as six trial types differing by congruence and emotion (negative, neutral, positive) were presented during condition blocks (safe, threat) on a computer screen. Each trial began with a fixation point which was then immediately followed by a picture stimulus, followed by a numerical display, followed by a repeat of the picture stimulus, and followed by a blank screen. During threat, a participant could receive a shock. During safe, a participant could not receive a shock. The effect of accuracy on congruence across negative, positive, and neutral images in threat and safe conditions was assessed by participants accurate identification of facial expression.

  21. Subjective Rating of Difficulty With Attention During Safe Condition

    Time frame: Assessed immediately after completing the affective Stroop task

    Following tasks completion, participants provided retrospective ratings of: anxiety and attention during safe and threat conditions using an analog scale ranging from 1 (not at all) to 10 (extremely). Participants rated overall subjective difficulty with attention ('How difficult was it to pay attention during threat/safe?') and level of anxiety ('How anxious were you during threat/safe?'). Retrospective ratings of anxiety and difficulty with attention were analyzed with two way Diagnosis x Condition (safe, threat) ANOVA.

  22. Subjective Rating of Difficulty With Attention During Threat Condition

    Time frame: Assessed immediately after completing the affective Stroop task

    Following tasks completion, participants provided retrospective ratings of: anxiety and attention during safe and threat conditions using an analog scale ranging from 1 (not at all) to 10 (extremely). Participants rated overall subjective difficulty with attention ('How difficult was it to pay attention during threat/safe?') and level of anxiety ('How anxious were you during threat/safe?'). Retrospective ratings of anxiety and difficulty with attention were analyzed with two way Diagnosis x Condition (safe, threat) ANOVA.

  23. Subjective Rating of Level of Anxiety During Safe Condition

    Time frame: Assessed immediately after completing the affective Stroop task

    Following tasks completion, participants provided retrospective ratings of: anxiety and attention during safe and threat conditions using an analog scale ranging from 1 (not at all) to 10 (extremely). Participants rated overall subjective difficulty with attention ('How difficult was it to pay attention during threat/safe?') and level of anxiety ('How anxious were you during threat/safe?'). Retrospective ratings of anxiety and difficulty with attention were analyzed with two way Diagnosis x Condition (safe, threat) ANOVA.

  24. Subjective Rating of Level of Anxiety During Threat Condition

    Time frame: Assessed immediately after completing the affective Stroop task

    Following tasks completion, participants provided retrospective ratings of: anxiety and attention during safe and threat conditions using an analog scale ranging from 1 (not at all) to 10 (extremely). Participants rated overall subjective difficulty with attention ('How difficult was it to pay attention during threat/safe?') and level of anxiety ('How anxious were you during threat/safe?'). Retrospective ratings of anxiety and difficulty with attention were analyzed with two way Diagnosis x Condition (safe, threat) ANOVA.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Nih

Registry information

Official study title

Predictability and Aversive Expectancies in Anxiety and Depressive Disorders

Important dates

Study start
2003
Primary completion
2020
Study completion
2022
First posted
Feb 21, 2003
Registry last updated
Jan 9, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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