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Test-retest reliability of a functional MRI anticipatory anxiety paradigm in healthy volunteers
Thérèse Schunck1, Gilles Erb, Alexandre Mathis
1FORENAP-FRP, Rouffach, France. Therese.Schunck@forenap.com
Purpose:
To evaluate the reproducibility of neural activations induced by an anticipatory anxiety provocation challenge in healthy volunteers.
Materials And Methods:
Fourteen healthy male volunteers participated in two separate functional MRI (fMRI) sessions in which they underwent a paradigm based on anticipation of aversive transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulations. This paradigm consisted of alternating presentation of red circles associated with the likelihood that aversive stimuli may be given and blue circles during which the subjects knew that no shock could be given. Anxiety state was compared before the fMRI sessions and during the threat periods using clinical scales (Hamilton, STAI-Y1), the Bond and Lader Visual Analogue Scale, and self-rating scales of apprehension and stimulus aversivity.
Results:
The selected paradigm induced anticipatory anxiety of moderate intensity as suggested by clinical scales and apprehension rating, without any habituation to the somatosensory stimulus across sessions. Compared to rest periods, threat of the aversive stimulus induced clear brain activation in anticipatory anxiety-related areas: frontal/prefrontal cortex, insula, lentiform nucleus, temporal pole, and cingulate cortex. Anxiety symptoms and cerebral activity were reproducible across sessions.
Conclusion:
The fMRI paradigm and its assessment method include all criteria to speed up the evaluation and the development of new anxiolytics.
Insights
This study shows that a functional MRI (fMRI) paradigm reliably detects brain activity related to anticipatory anxiety in healthy individuals. The method is reproducible across sessions, aiding the development of new anxiety treatments.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Anticipatory anxiety is a significant component of anxiety disorders.
- Reproducible neuroimaging biomarkers are crucial for developing effective anxiolytics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the reproducibility of neural activations during an anticipatory anxiety provocation challenge using functional MRI (fMRI).
- To validate a novel fMRI paradigm for inducing and measuring anxiety-related brain responses.
Main Methods:
- Fourteen healthy male volunteers underwent two fMRI sessions.
- A paradigm involving anticipation of aversive electrical stimulation was employed.
- Anxiety levels were measured using clinical scales and self-rating scales.
Main Results:
- The fMRI paradigm successfully induced moderate anticipatory anxiety.
- Significant brain activations were observed in frontal/prefrontal cortex, insula, and cingulate cortex during threat periods.
- Neural activity and anxiety symptoms demonstrated reproducibility across sessions.
Conclusions:
- The developed fMRI paradigm and assessment method are reliable for evaluating anticipatory anxiety.
- This approach can accelerate the development and evaluation of novel anxiolytic medications.
