Cited by 45Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchMemory and Neural MechanismsAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

Atypical amygdala response to fear conditioning in autism spectrum disorder

Top Jr., D. Nicholas, Stephenson, Kevin G., Doxey, Christopher R., Crowley, Michael J., Kirwan, C. Brock, South, Mikle·2016·Biological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging

Abstract

Background Anxiety is the most common comorbid psychiatric concern in individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and can cause significant functional impairment. Fear conditioning tasks offer a useful neurodevelopmental model for anxiety, yet there are no published neuroimaging studies of fear conditioning using ASD samples.Methods Twenty adults diagnosed with ASD and 19 healthy adult control subjects completed a standard fear conditioning and extinction paradigm while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. A burst of air on the base of the neck was the unconditioned stimulus. Participants returned 1 day later for scanning during an extinction recall phase. A priori regions of interest were analyzed with a familywise error correction rate < 0.05.Results All regions of interest demonstrated significantly greater response to threat than safe conditions during initial fear acquisition. Compared with age-matched control subjects, the ASD group showed a significantly decreased differential response to threat versus safe cues in right amygdala during the initial fear acquisition phase and decreased response in left amygdala during the first run of extinction recall on the second day of scanning.Conclusions Symptoms of severe anxiety in ASD may arise from atypical neural mechanisms especially related to the differentiation of threat versus safe cues. An inability to effectively identify safety contexts may underlie chronically increased levels of anxiety in many individuals diagnosed with ASD.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.bpsc.2016.01.008

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  • In an fMRI study of fear conditioning and extinction in adults with ASD, the ASD group failed to recognize safety cues and were delayed in responding to changes between threat and safety contexts.

    “Top et al. (2016) conducted an fMRI study of fear conditioning and extinction in adults with ASD, concluding that the ASD group failed to recognize safety cues, and thus were delayed in responding to changes between threat to safety contexts.”

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Authors
Top Jr., D. N., Stephenson, K. G., Doxey, C. R., Crowley, M. J., Kirwan, C. B., & South, M.
Affiliations
  • Brigham Young University (US)
  • Yale University (US)
Corresponding author
South, Mikle
Venue
Biological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-07
Volume
1
Issue
4
Pages
308-315
ISSN
2451-9022 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2256603131
Cited by
45
References
61
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 2
FWCI
2.98
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Mentoring Environment
  • International Neuropsychological Society
  • International Meeting for Autism Research
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, fear conditioning, amygdala, anxiety comorbidity, fear extinction, fear acquisition

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