@article{PlatteHerbertPaulietal.2013, author = {Platte, Petra and Herbert, Cornelia and Pauli, Paul and Breslin, Paul A. S.}, title = {Oral Perceptions of Fat and Taste Stimuli Are Modulated by Affect and Mood Induction}, series = {PLoS ONE}, journal = {PLoS ONE}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0065006}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-96421}, year = {2013}, abstract = {This study examined the impact of three clinical psychological variables (non-pathological levels of depression and anxiety, as well as experimentally manipulated mood) on fat and taste perception in healthy subjects. After a baseline orosensory evaluation, 'sad', 'happy' and 'neutral' video clips were presented to induce corresponding moods in eighty participants. Following mood manipulation, subjects rated five different oral stimuli, appearing sweet, umami, sour, bitter, fatty, which were delivered at five different concentrations each. Depression levels were assessed with Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) and anxiety levels were assessed via the Spielberger's STAI-trait and state questionnaire. Overall, subjects were able to track the concentrations of the stimuli correctly, yet depression level affected taste ratings. First, depression scores were positively correlated with sucrose ratings. Second, subjects with depression scores above the sample median rated sucrose and quinine as more intense after mood induction (positive, negative and neutral). Third and most important, the group with enhanced depression scores did not rate low and high fat stimuli differently after positive or negative mood induction, whereas, during baseline or during the non-emotional neutral condition they rated the fat intensity as increasing with concentration. Consistent with others' prior observations we also found that sweet and bitter stimuli at baseline were rated as more intense by participants with higher anxiety scores and that after positive and negative mood induction, citric acid was rated as stronger tasting compared to baseline. The observation that subjects with mild subclinical depression rated low and high fat stimuli similarly when in positive or negative mood is novel and likely has potential implications for unhealthy eating patterns. This deficit may foster unconscious eating of fatty foods in sub-clinical mildly depressed populations.}, language = {en} } @article{HohoffGorjiKaiseretal.2013, author = {Hohoff, Christa and Gorji, Ali and Kaiser, Sylvia and Willscher, Edith and Korsching, Eberhard and Ambr{\´e}e, Oliver and Arolt, Volker and Lesch, Klaus-Peter and Sachser, Norbert and Deckert, J{\"u}rgen and Lewejohann, Lars}, title = {Effect of Acute Stressor and Serotonin Transporter Genotype on Amygdala First Wave Transcriptome in Mice}, series = {PLoS ONE}, volume = {8}, journal = {PLoS ONE}, number = {3}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0058880}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-131040}, pages = {e58880}, year = {2013}, abstract = {The most prominent brain region evaluating the significance of external stimuli immediately after their onset is the amygdala. Stimuli evaluated as being stressful actuate a number of physiological processes as an immediate stress response. Variation in the serotonin transporter gene has been associated with increased anxiety- and depression-like behavior, altered stress reactivity and adaptation, and pathophysiology of stress-related disorders. In this study the instant reactions to an acute stressor were measured in a serotonin transporter knockout mouse model. Mice lacking the serotonin transporter were verified to be more anxious than their wild-type conspecifics. Genome-wide gene expression changes in the amygdala were measured after the mice were subjected to control condition or to an acute stressor of one minute exposure to water. The dissection of amygdalae and stabilization of RNA was conducted within nine minutes after the onset of the stressor. This extremely short protocol allowed for analysis of first wave primary response genes, typically induced within five to ten minutes of stimulation, and was performed using Affymetrix GeneChip Mouse Gene 1.0 ST Arrays. RNA profiling revealed a largely new set of differentially expressed primary response genes between the conditions acute stress and control that differed distinctly between wild-type and knockout mice. Consequently, functional categorization and pathway analysis indicated genes related to neuroplasticity and adaptation in wild-types whereas knockouts were characterized by impaired plasticity and genes more related to chronic stress and pathophysiology. Our study therefore disclosed different coping styles dependent on serotonin transporter genotype even directly after the onset of stress and accentuates the role of the serotonergic system in processing stressors and threat in the amygdala. Moreover, several of the first wave primary response genes that we found might provide promising targets for future therapeutic interventions of stress-related disorders also in humans.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{GlotzbachSchoon2013, author = {Glotzbach-Schoon, Evelyn}, title = {Contextual fear conditioning in humans: The return of contextual anxiety and the influence of genetic polymorphisms}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-87955}, school = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Als Angst bezeichnet man einen nicht auf spezifische Objekte gerichteten l{\"a}nger anhaltenden zukunfts-orientierten Zustand der Besorgnis. Diese ist kennzeichnend f{\"u}r Angstst{\"o}rungen wie Panikst{\"o}rung, generalisierte Angstst{\"o}rung und Posttraumatische Belastungsst{\"o}rung (PTBS). Experimentell kann Angst durch kontextuelle Furchtkonditionierung ausgel{\"o}st werden. Bei dieser Art der Konditionierung werden aversive Ereignisse als unvorhersehbar erlebt, wodurch der gesamte Kontext mit der Gefahr assoziiert wird. Diese Arbeit hat zum Ziel, Mechanismen der Entstehung und Aufrechterhaltung von Kontextangst zu untersuchen. Dies sind zum einem erleichterte Akquisition von Kontextkonditionierungen und deren fehlerhafte Extinktion. Hier ist vor allem die Fragestellung relevant, wie dies durch genetische Varianten moduliert wird (Studie 1). Zum anderen soll die Wiederkehr der Angst nach der Extinktion mit einem neuen Reinstatement-Paradigma untersucht werden (Studie 2). Zur Untersuchung dieser Forschungsfragen wurden zwei kontextuelle Furchtkonditionierungsstudien in virtueller Realit{\"a}t (VR) durchgef{\"u}hrt. W{\"a}hrend der Akquisition wurden leicht schmerzhafte elektrische Reize (unkonditionierter Stimulus, US) unvorhersehbar pr{\"a}sentiert, w{\"a}hrend die Probanden in einem virtuellen B{\"u}roraum waren. Dadurch wurde dieser Raum zum Angstkontext (CXT+). Ein zweiter B{\"u}roraum wurde nie mit dem US gepaart, deshalb wurde dieser Raum zum Sicherheitskontext (CXT-). Die Extinktion, in der die Kontexte ohne US pr{\"a}sentiert wurden, fand 24 h sp{\"a}ter statt, und ein Test zum Abruf der Extinktion bzw. zur Wiederkehr der Angst nochmals 24 h sp{\"a}ter. In beiden Studien wurde die Angst auf drei verschiedenen Ebenen gemessen: Verhalten (angstpotenzierter Schreckreflex), Physiologie (tonische Hautleitf{\"a}higkeit), und verbale Ebene (explizite Ratings). Die Probanden f{\"u}r Studie 1 wurden anhand der 5-HTTLPR (S+ Risikoallel vs. LL nicht-Risikoallel) und NPSR1 rs324981 (T+ Risikoallel vs. AA nicht-Risikoallel) Polymorphismen stratifiziert, sodass vier kombinierte Genotyp Gruppen (S+/T+, S+/LL, LL/T+ und LL/AA) mit je 20 Probanden vorlagen. Es zeigte sich, dass der angstpotenzierte Schreckreflex durch die Interaktion zwischen beiden genetischen Polymorphismen moduliert wurde. Nur Tr{\"a}ger beider Risikoallele (S+ Tr{\"a}ger des 5-HTTLPR und T+ Tr{\"a}ger des NPSR1 Polymorphismus) zeigten einen h{\"o}heren Schreckreflex im CXT+ als im CXT- w{\"a}hrend der Akquisition. Der Abruf der Extinktion an Tag 3, gemessen anhand des Schreckreflexes, wurde allerdings nicht durch die Genotypen moduliert. Interessanterweise zeigte sich auf dem expliziten Angstlevel (Valenz- und Angstratings) nur ein Einfluss des NPSR1 Polymorphismus, und zwar bewerteten die nicht-Risikoallel Tr{\"a}ger (AA) den CXT+ mit negativerer Valenz und h{\"o}herer Angst im Vergleich zum CXT-; die Risikoallel Tr{\"a}ger (T+) taten dies nicht. In der zweiten Studie wurde fast das gleiche Paradigma benutzt wie in der ersten Studie mit der Ausnahme, dass eine Versuchsgruppe (Reinstatementgruppe) den US noch einmal am Anfang des dritten Untersuchungstages vor der Pr{\"a}sentation von CXT+ und CXT- appliziert bekam. Die zweite Versuchsgruppe (Kontrollgruppe) erhielt keinen US, sondern wurde direkt durch CXT+ und CXT- gef{\"u}hrt. Es zeigte sich, dass nur in der Reinstatementgruppe die Angst auf impliziter und expliziter Ebene wiederkehrte, d.h. die Probanden zeigten einen h{\"o}heren Schreckreflex und h{\"o}here Angstratings auf den CXT+ im Vergleich zum CXT-. Wichtig war vor allem, dass die Wiederkehr der Angst in der Reinstatementgruppe mit der Ver{\"a}nderung der Zustandsangst und der Stimmung (von der Extinktion zum Test) korrelierte. D.h. je gr{\"o}ßer die Angst und je negativer die Stimmung wurden, desto h{\"o}her war die Wiederkehr der Angst. Zusammengefasst belegt Studie 1, dass erleichterte kontextuelle Furchtkonditionierung auf impliziter Ebene (Schreckreflex) ein Endoph{\"a}notyp f{\"u}r Angstst{\"o}rungen sein k{\"o}nnte, was zu unserem Verst{\"a}ndnis der {\"A}tiologie von Angstst{\"o}rungen beitragen k{\"o}nnte. Die Ergebnisse der zweiten Studie legen nahe, dass eine {\"a}ngstliche und negative Stimmung nach der Extinktion die R{\"u}ckkehr von Angst beg{\"u}nstigen k{\"o}nnte. Dar{\"u}ber hinaus scheint das VR-basierte kontextuelle Furchtkonditionierungsparadigma ein geeignetes Mittel zu sein, um Mechanismen der Angstentstehung und Angstwiederkehr experimentell zu erforschen. Weiterf{\"u}hrende Studien k{\"o}nnten nun auch Angstpatienten untersuchen und das Paradigma auf evolution{\"a}r-relevante Kontexte (z.B. H{\"o}he, Dunkelheit, weite Pl{\"a}tze) ausweiten.}, subject = {Angst}, language = {en} } @article{EiseleBlozikStoerketal.2013, author = {Eisele, Marion and Blozik, Eva and St{\"o}rk, Stefan and Tr{\"a}der, Jens-Martin and Herrmann-Lingen, Christoph and Scherer, Martin}, title = {Recognition of depression and anxiety and their association with quality of life, hospitalization and mortality in primary care patients with heart failure - study protocol of a longitudinal observation study}, series = {BMC Family Practice}, volume = {14}, journal = {BMC Family Practice}, number = {180}, issn = {1471-2296}, doi = {10.1186/1471-2296-14-180}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-121881}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Background: International disease management guidelines recommend the regular assessment of depression and anxiety in heart failure patients. Currently there is little data on the effect of screening for depression and anxiety on the quality of life and the prognosis of heart failure (HF). We will investigate the association between the recognition of current depression/anxiety by the general practitioner (GP) and the quality of life and the patients' prognosis. Methods/Design: In this multicenter, prospective, observational study 3,950 patients with HF are recruited by general practices in Germany. The patients fill out questionnaires at baseline and 12-month follow-up. At baseline the GPs are interviewed regarding the somatic and psychological comorbidities of their patients. During the follow-up assessment, data on hospitalization and mortality are provided by the general practice. Based on baseline data, the patients are allocated into three observation groups: HF patients with depression and/or anxiety recognized by their GP (P+/+), those with depression and/or anxiety not recognized (P+/-) and patients without depression and/or anxiety (P-/-). We will perform multivariate regression models to investigate the influence of the recognition of depression and/or anxiety on quality of life at 12 month follow-up, as well as its influences on the prognosis (hospital admission, mortality). Discussion: We will display the frequency of GP-acknowledged depression and anxiety and the frequency of installed therapeutic strategies. We will also describe the frequency of depression and anxiety missed by the GP and the resulting treatment gap. Effects of correctly acknowledged and missed depression/anxiety on outcome, also in comparison to the outcome of subjects without depression/anxiety will be addressed. In case results suggest a treatment gap of depression/anxiety in patients with HF, the results of this study will provide methodological advice for the efficient planning of further interventional research.}, language = {en} } @article{BonnSchmittLeschetal.2013, author = {Bonn, M. and Schmitt, A. and Lesch, K.-P. and Van Bockstaele, E. J. and Asan, E.}, title = {Serotonergic innervation and serotonin receptor expression of NPY-producing neurons in the rat lateral and basolateral amygdaloid nuclei}, series = {Brain Structure and Function}, volume = {218}, journal = {Brain Structure and Function}, number = {2}, doi = {10.1007/s00429-012-0406-5}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-132591}, pages = {421-435}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Pharmacobehavioral studies in experimental animals, and imaging studies in humans, indicate that serotonergic transmission in the amygdala plays a key role in emotional processing, especially for anxiety-related stimuli. The lateral and basolateral amygdaloid nuclei receive a dense serotonergic innervation in all species studied to date. We investigated interrelations between serotonergic afferents and neuropeptide Y (NPY)-producing neurons, which are a subpopulation of inhibitory interneurons in the rat lateral and basolateral nuclei with particularly strong anxiolytic properties. Dual light microscopic immunolabeling showed numerous appositions of serotonergic afferents on NPY-immunoreactive somata. Using electron microscopy, direct membrane appositions and synaptic contacts between serotonin-containing axon terminals and NPY-immunoreactive cellular profiles were unequivocally established. Double in situ hybridization documented that more than 50 \%, and about 30-40 \% of NPY mRNA-producing neurons, co-expressed inhibitory 5-HT1A and excitatory 5-HT2C mRNA receptor subtype mRNA, respectively, in both nuclei with no gender differences. Triple in situ hybridization showed that individual NPY mRNA-producing interneurons co-express both 5-HT1A and 5-HT2C mRNAs. Co-expression of NPY and 5-HT3 mRNA was not observed. The results demonstrate that serotonergic afferents provide substantial innervation of NPY-producing neurons in the rat lateral and basolateral amygdaloid nuclei. Studies of serotonin receptor subtype co-expression indicate a differential impact of the serotonergic innervation on this small, but important, population of anxiolytic interneurons, and provide the basis for future studies of the circuitry underlying serotonergic modulation of emotional stimulus processing in the amygdala.}, language = {en} }