@article{GromerKiserPauli2021,
  author    = {Gromer, Daniel and Kiser, Dominik P. and Pauli, Paul},
  title     = {Thigmotaxis in a virtual human open field test},
  series = {Scientific Reports},
  volume    = {11},
  journal   = {Scientific Reports},
  doi       = {10.1038/s41598-021-85678-5},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-259850},
  pages     = {6670},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Animal models are used to study neurobiological mechanisms in mental disorders. Although there has been significant progress in the understanding of neurobiological underpinnings of threat-related behaviors and anxiety, little progress was made with regard to new or improved treatments for mental disorders. A possible reason for this lack of success is the unknown predictive and cross-species translational validity of animal models used in preclinical studies. Re-translational approaches, therefore, seek to establish cross-species translational validity by identifying behavioral operations shared across species. To this end, we implemented a human open field test in virtual reality and measured behavioral indices derived from animal studies in three experiments (N=31, N=30, and N=80). In addition, we investigated the associations between anxious traits and such behaviors. Results indicated a strong similarity in behavior across species, i.e., participants in our study-like rodents in animal studies-preferred to stay in the outer region of the open field, as indexed by multiple behavioral parameters. However, correlational analyses did not clearly indicate that these behaviors were a function of anxious traits of participants. We conclude that the realized virtual open field test is able to elicit thigmotaxis and thus demonstrates cross-species validity of this aspect of the test. Modulatory effects of anxiety on human open field behavior should be examined further by incorporating possible threats in the virtual scenario and/or by examining participants with higher anxiety levels or anxiety disorder patients.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{StegmannAndreattaPaulietal.2023,
  author    = {Stegmann, Yannik and Andreatta, Marta and Pauli, Paul and Keil, Andreas and Wieser, Matthias J.},
  title     = {Investigating sustained attention in contextual threat using steady-state VEPs evoked by flickering video stimuli},
  series = {Psychophysiology},
  volume    = {60},
  journal   = {Psychophysiology},
  number    = {5},
  doi       = {10.1111/psyp.14229},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-312430},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {Anxiety is characterized by anxious anticipation and heightened vigilance to uncertain threat. However, if threat is not reliably indicated by a specific cue, the context in which threat was previously experienced becomes its best predictor, leading to anxiety. A suitable means to induce anxiety experimentally is context conditioning: In one context (CTX+), an unpredictable aversive stimulus (US) is repeatedly presented, in contrast to a second context (CTX-), in which no US is ever presented. In this EEG study, we investigated attentional mechanisms during acquisition and extinction learning in 38 participants, who underwent a context conditioning protocol. Flickering video stimuli (32 s clips depicting virtual offices representing CTX+/-) were used to evoke steady-state visual evoked potentials (ssVEPs) as an index of visuocortical engagement with the contexts. Analyses of the electrocortical responses suggest a successful induction of the ssVEP signal by video presentation in flicker mode. Furthermore, we found clear indices of context conditioning and extinction learning on a subjective level, while cortical processing of the CTX+ was unexpectedly reduced during video presentation. The differences between CTX+ and CTX- diminished during extinction learning. Together, these results indicate that the dynamic sensory input of the video presentation leads to disruptions in the ssVEP signal, which is greater for motivationally significant, threatening contexts.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{WongPittig2022,
  author    = {Wong, Alex H. K. and Pittig, Andre},
  title     = {A dimensional measure of safety behavior: A non-dichotomous assessment of costly avoidance in human fear conditioning},
  series = {Psychological Research},
  volume    = {86},
  journal   = {Psychological Research},
  number    = {1},
  issn      = {1430-2772},
  doi       = {10.1007/s00426-021-01490-w},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-267688},
  pages     = {312-330},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Safety behavior prevents the occurrence of threat, thus it is typically considered adaptive. However, safety behavior in anxiety-related disorders is often costly, and persists even the situation does not entail realistic threat. Individuals can engage in safety behavior to varying extents, however, these behaviors are typically measured dichotomously (i.e., to execute or not). To better understand the nuances of safety behavior, this study developed a dimensional measure of safety behavior that had a negative linear relationship with the admission of an aversive outcome. In two experiments, a Reward group receiving fixed or individually calibrated incentives competing with safety behavior showed reduced safety behavior than a Control group receiving no incentives. This allowed extinction learning to a previously learnt warning signal in the Reward group (i.e., updating the belief that this stimulus no longer signals threat). Despite the Reward group exhibited extinction learning, both groups showed a similar increase in fear to the warning signal once safety behavior was no longer available. This null group difference was due to some participants in the Reward group not incentivized enough to disengage from safety behavior. Dimensional assessment revealed a dissociation between low fear but substantial safety behavior to a safety signal in the Control group. This suggests that low-cost safety behavior does not accurately reflect the fear-driven processes, but also other non-fear-driven processes, such as cost (i.e., engage in safety behavior merely because it bears little to no cost). Pinpointing both processes is important for furthering the understanding of safety behavior.},
  language  = {en}
}