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- Title
Targeting memory reconsolidation to prevent the return of fear in patients with fear of flying.
- Authors
Maples‐Keller, Jessica L.; Price, Matthew; Jovanovic, Tanja; Norrholm, Seth D.; Odenat, Lydia; Post, Loren; Zwiebach, Liza; Breazeale, Kathryn; Gross, Robin; Kim, Sae‐Jin; Rothbaum, Barbara Olasov
- Abstract
<bold>Background: </bold>When a memory is recalled, it may again exist in a labile state and stored information becomes amenable to change, a psychobiological process known as reconsolidation. Exposure therapy for anxiety disorders involves accessing a fear memory and modifying it with less fearful information. A preclinical study reported that providing a reminder of a fear memory 10 min prior to extinction training in humans decreased fear up to 1 year later (Schiller et al., 2010).<bold>Methods: </bold>For this pilot clinical study, we used virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE) for fear of flying (FoF) to determine if using a cue to reactivate the memory of the feared stimulus 10 min prior to exposure sessions leads to fewer anxiety-related behaviors and a more durable response compared to a neutral cue. FoF participants (N = 89) received four sessions of anxiety management training followed by four sessions of VRE. Participants were randomly assigned to receive an FoF cue (reactivation group) or a neutral cue (control group) prior to the VRE sessions. Heart rate (HR) and skin conductance levels (SCLs) were collected during posttreatment and 3-month follow-up assessments as objective markers of fear responding.<bold>Results: </bold>Treatment was effective and all clinical measures improved equally between groups at posttreatment with maintained gains through follow-ups. Significant differences were identified with regard to HR and SCL indices.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>These results suggest that memory reactivation prior to exposure therapy did not have an impact on clinical measures but may enhance the effect of exposure therapy at the physiological level.
- Subjects
FEAR; AVIATION psychology; ANXIETY disorders treatment; EXPOSURE therapy; VIRTUAL reality therapy; PHOBIAS treatment; PHOBIAS; COMPARATIVE studies; RESEARCH methodology; MEDICAL cooperation; RESEARCH; RESEARCH funding; PILOT projects; EVALUATION research; RANDOMIZED controlled trials; TREATMENT effectiveness; PREVENTION
- Publication
Depression & Anxiety (1091-4269), 2017, Vol 34, Issue 7, p610
- ISSN
1091-4269
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1002/da.22626