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Affective startle modulation and psychopathology: Implications for appetitive and defensive brain systems
1Department of Economic Psychology, Social Psychology & Experimental Methods, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Universitätsallee 1, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany.
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
|May 27, 2019
Summary
Affective startle modulation reveals distinct defensive and appetitive system dysfunctions across psychopathologies. This review highlights how startle reflex changes inform understanding of anxiety, depression, and psychopathy mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Startle reflex modulation by affective stimuli is linked to defensive and appetitive motivational systems.
- Understanding these links is crucial for elucidating psychopathology mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and systematize literature on affective startle modulation in psychopathologies.
- To identify underlying motivational system dysfunctions across various disorders.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of existing literature on affective startle modulation and psychopathology.
- Analysis of startle reflex potentiation and attenuation patterns in relation to specific disorders.
Main Results:
- Anxiety disorders show increased startle potentiation to unpleasant stimuli.
- Psychopathy is associated with decreased startle potentiation to unpleasant stimuli.
- ADHD exhibits decreased startle attenuation to pleasant stimuli; depression shows general hyporeactivity.
- Specific phobia and drug dependence display altered startle responses to disorder-specific stimuli.
Conclusions:
- The defensive and appetitive systems largely operate independently, supporting the motivational priming hypothesis.
- Affective startle modulation is a valuable tool for investigating motivational system dysfunctions in psychopathology.
- Findings align with the Research Domain Criteria initiative's goals for understanding mental disorders.
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