@article{EwaldGlotzbachSchoonGerdesetal.2014,
  author    = {Ewald, Heike and Glotzbach-Schoon, Evelyn and Gerdes, Antje B. M. and Andreatta, Marta and M{\"u}ller, Mathias and M{\"u}hlberger, Andreas and Pauli, Paul},
  title     = {Delay and trace fear conditioning in a complex virtual learning environment - neural substrates of extinction},
  series = {Frontiers in Human Neuroscience},
  volume    = {8},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Human Neuroscience},
  number    = {323},
  issn      = {1662-5161},
  doi       = {10.3389/fnhum.2014.00323},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-116230},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Extinction is an important mechanism to inhibit initially acquired fear responses. There is growing evidence that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) inhibits the amygdala and therefore plays an important role in the extinction of delay fear conditioning. To our knowledge, there is no evidence on the role of the prefrontal cortex in the extinction of trace conditioning up to now. Thus, we compared brain structures involved in the extinction of human delay and trace fear conditioning in a between-subjects-design in an fMRI study. Participants were passively guided through a virtual environment during learning and extinction of conditioned fear. Two different lights served as conditioned stimuli (CS); as unconditioned stimulus (US) a mildly painful electric stimulus was delivered. In the delay conditioning group (DCG) the US was administered with offset of one light (CS+), whereas in the trace conditioning group (TCG) the US was presented 4s after CS+ offset. Both groups showed insular and striatal activation during early extinction, but differed in their prefrontal activation. The vmPFC was mainly activated in the DCG, whereas the TCG showed activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) during extinction. These results point to different extinction processes in delay and trace conditioning. VmPFC activation during extinction of delay conditioning might reflect the inhibition of the fear response. In contrast, dlPFC activation during extinction of trace conditioning may reflect modulation of working memory processes which are involved in bridging the trace interval and hold information in short term memory.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GromerMadeiraGastetal.2018,
  author    = {Gromer, Daniel and Madeira, Oct{\´a}via and Gast, Philipp and Nehfischer, Markus and Jost, Michael and M{\"u}ller, Mathias and M{\"u}hlberger, Andreas and Pauli, Paul},
  title     = {Height Simulation in a Virtual Reality CAVE System: Validity of Fear Responses and Effects of an Immersion Manipulation},
  series = {Frontiers in Human Neuroscience},
  volume    = {12},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Human Neuroscience},
  number    = {372},
  issn      = {1662-5161},
  doi       = {10.3389/fnhum.2018.00372},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-196113},
  year      = {2018},
  abstract  = {Acrophobia is characterized by intense fear in height situations. Virtual reality (VR) can be used to trigger such phobic fear, and VR exposure therapy (VRET) has proven effective for treatment of phobias, although it remains important to further elucidate factors that modulate and mediate the fear responses triggered in VR. The present study assessed verbal and behavioral fear responses triggered by a height simulation in a 5-sided cave automatic virtual environment (CAVE) with visual and acoustic simulation and further investigated how fear responses are modulated by immersion, i.e., an additional wind simulation, and presence, i.e., the feeling to be present in the VE. Results revealed a high validity for the CAVE and VE in provoking height related self-reported fear and avoidance behavior in accordance with a trait measure of acrophobic fear. Increasing immersion significantly increased fear responses in high height anxious (HHA) participants, but did not affect presence. Nevertheless, presence was found to be an important predictor of fear responses. We conclude that a CAVE system can be used to elicit valid fear responses, which might be further enhanced by immersion manipulations independent from presence. These results may help to improve VRET efficacy and its transfer to real situations.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{RodriguesZiebellMuelleretal.2022,
  author    = {Rodrigues, Johannes and Ziebell, Philipp and M{\"u}ller, Mathias and Hewig, Johannes},
  title     = {Standardizing continuous data classifications in a virtual T-maze using two-layer feedforward networks},
  series = {Scientific Reports},
  volume    = {12},
  journal   = {Scientific Reports},
  number    = {1},
  doi       = {10.1038/s41598-022-17013-5},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-301096},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {There continues to be difficulties when it comes to replication of studies in the field of Psychology. In part, this may be caused by insufficiently standardized analysis methods that may be subject to state dependent variations in performance. In this work, we show how to easily adapt the two-layer feedforward neural network architecture provided by Huang1 to a behavioral classification problem as well as a physiological classification problem which would not be solvable in a standardized way using classical regression or "simple rule" approaches. In addition, we provide an example for a new research paradigm along with this standardized analysis method. This paradigm as well as the analysis method can be adjusted to any necessary modification or applied to other paradigms or research questions. Hence, we wanted to show that two-layer feedforward neural networks can be used to increase standardization as well as replicability and illustrate this with examples based on a virtual T-maze paradigm\(^{2-5}\) including free virtual movement via joystick and advanced physiological data signal processing.},
  language  = {en}
}