@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{HilgerHaegeZedleretal.2023,
  author    = {Hilger, Kirsten and H{\"a}ge, Anne-Sophie and Zedler, Christina and Jost, Michael and Pauli, Paul},
  title     = {Virtual reality to understand pain-associated approach behaviour: a proof-of-concept study},
  series = {Scientific Reports},
  volume    = {13},
  journal   = {Scientific Reports},
  doi       = {10.1038/s41598-023-40789-z},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-357817},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {Pain-associated approach and avoidance behaviours are critically involved in the development and maintenance of chronic pain. Empirical research suggests a key role of operant learning mechanisms, and first experimental paradigms were developed for their investigation within a controlled laboratory setting. We introduce a new Virtual Reality paradigm to the study of pain-related behaviour and investigate pain experiences on multiple dimensions. The paradigm evaluates the effects of three-tiered heat-pain stimuli applied contingent versus non-contingent with three types of arm movements in naturalistic virtual sceneries. Behaviour, self-reported pain-related fear, pain expectancy and electrodermal activity were assessed in 42 healthy participants during an acquisition phase (contingent movement-pain association) and a modification phase (no contingent movement-pain association). Pain-associated approach behaviour, as measured by arm movements followed by a severe heat stimulus, quickly decreased in-line with the arm movement-pain contingency. Slower effects were observed in fear of movement-related pain and pain expectancy ratings. During the subsequent modification phase, the removal of the pain contingencies modified all three indices. In both phases, skin conductance responses resemble the pattern observed for approach behaviour, while skin conductance levels equal the pattern observed for the self-ratings. Our findings highlight a fast reduction in approach behaviour in the face of acute pain and inform about accompanying psychological and physiological processes. We discuss strength and limitations of our paradigm for future investigations with the ultimate goal of gaining a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms involved in chronic pain development, maintenance, and its therapy.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{BellingerWehrmannRohdeetal.2023,
  author    = {Bellinger, Daniel and Wehrmann, Kristin and Rohde, Anna and Schuppert, Maria and St{\"o}rk, Stefan and Flohr-Jost, Michael and Gall, Dominik and Pauli, Paul and Deckert, J{\"u}rgen and Herrmann, Martin J. and Erhardt-Lehmann, Angelika},
  title     = {The application of virtual reality exposure versus relaxation training in music performance anxiety: a randomized controlled study},
  series = {BMC Psychiatry},
  volume    = {23},
  journal   = {BMC Psychiatry},
  doi       = {10.1186/s12888-023-05040-z},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-357833},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {Background Performance anxiety is the most frequently reported anxiety disorder among professional musicians. Typical symptoms are - on a physical level - the consequences of an increase in sympathetic tone with cardiac stress, such as acceleration of heartbeat, increase in blood pressure, increased respiratory rate and tremor up to nausea or flush reactions. These symptoms can cause emotional distress, a reduced musical and artistical performance up to an impaired functioning. While anxiety disorders are preferably treated using cognitive-behavioral therapy with exposure, this approach is rather difficult for treating music performance anxiety since the presence of a public or professional jury is required and not easily available. The use of virtual reality (VR) could therefore display an alternative. So far, no therapy studies on music performance anxiety applying virtual reality exposure therapy have investigated the therapy outcome including cardiovascular changes as outcome parameters. Methods This mono-center, prospective, randomized and controlled clinical trial has a pre-post design with a follow-up period of 6 months. 46 professional and semi-professional musicians will be recruited and allocated randomly to an VR exposure group or a control group receiving progressive muscle relaxation training. Both groups will be treated over 4 single sessions. Music performance anxiety will be diagnosed based on a clinical interview using ICD-10 and DSM-5 criteria for specific phobia or social anxiety. A behavioral assessment test is conducted three times (pre, post, follow-up) in VR through an audition in a concert hall. Primary outcomes are the changes in music performance anxiety measured by the German B{\"u}hnenangstfragebogen and the cardiovascular reactivity reflected by heart rate variability (HRV). Secondary outcomes are changes in blood pressure, stress parameters such as cortisol in the blood and saliva, neuropeptides, and DNA-methylation. Discussion The trial investigates the effect of VR exposure in musicians with performance anxiety compared to a relaxation technique on anxiety symptoms and corresponding cardiovascular parameters. We expect a reduction of anxiety but also a consecutive improvement of HRV with cardiovascular protective effects. Trial registration This study was registered on clinicaltrials.gov. (ClinicalTrials.gov Number: NCT05735860)},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ZilligPauliWieseretal.2023,
  author    = {Zillig, Anna-Lena and Pauli, Paul and Wieser, Matthias and Reicherts, Philipp},
  title     = {Better safe than sorry? - On the influence of learned safety on pain perception},
  series = {PloS One},
  volume    = {18},
  journal   = {PloS One},
  number    = {11},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0289047},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-349905},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {The experience of threat was found to result—mostly—in increased pain, however it is still unclear whether the exact opposite, namely the feeling of safety may lead to a reduction of pain. To test this hypothesis, we conducted two between-subject experiments (N = 94; N = 87), investigating whether learned safety relative to a neutral control condition can reduce pain, while threat should lead to increased pain compared to a neutral condition. Therefore, participants first underwent either threat or safety conditioning, before entering an identical test phase, where the previously conditioned threat or safety cue and a newly introduced visual cue were presented simultaneously with heat pain stimuli. Methodological changes were performed in experiment 2 to prevent safety extinction and to facilitate conditioning in the first place: We included additional verbal instructions, increased the maximum length of the ISI and raised CS-US contingency in the threat group from 50\% to 75\%. In addition to pain ratings and ratings of the visual cues (threat, safety, arousal, valence, and contingency), in both experiments, we collected heart rate and skin conductance. Analysis of the cue ratings during acquisition indicate successful threat and safety induction, however results of the test phase, when also heat pain was administered, demonstrate rapid safety extinction in both experiments. Results suggest rather small modulation of subjective and physiological pain responses following threat or safety cues relative to the neutral condition. However, exploratory analysis revealed reduced pain ratings in later trials of the experiment in the safety group compared to the threat group in both studies, suggesting different temporal dynamics for threat and safety learning and extinction, respectively. Perspective: The present results demonstrate the challenge to maintain safety in the presence of acute pain and suggest more research on the interaction of affective learning mechanism and pain processing.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GhafoorNordbeckRitteretal.2022,
  author    = {Ghafoor, Hina and Nordbeck, Peter and Ritter, Oliver and Pauli, Paul and Schulz, Stefan M.},
  title     = {Can Religiosity and Social Support Explain Effects of Trait Emotional Intelligence on Health-Related Quality of Life: A Cross-Cultural Study},
  series = {Journal of Religion and Health},
  volume    = {61},
  journal   = {Journal of Religion and Health},
  number    = {1},
  issn      = {0022-4197},
  doi       = {10.1007/s10943-020-01163-9},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-232823},
  pages     = {158-174},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Religion and social support along with trait emotional intelligence (EI) help individuals to reduce stress caused by difficult situations. Their implications may vary across cultures in reference to predicting health-related quality of life (HRQoL). A convenience sample of N = 200 chronic heart failure (CHF) patients was recruited at cardiology centers in Germany (n = 100) and Pakistan (n = 100). Results indicated that trait-EI predicted better mental component of HRQoL in Pakistani and German CHF patients. Friends as social support appeared relevant for German patients only. Qualitative data indicate an internal locus of control in German as compared to Pakistani patients. Strengthening the beneficial role of social support in Pakistani patients is one example of how the current findings may inspire culture-specific treatment to empower patients dealing with the detrimental effects of CHF.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{KiserGromerPaulietal.2022,
  author    = {Kiser, Dominik P. and Gromer, Daniel and Pauli, Paul and Hilger, Kirsten},
  title     = {A virtual reality social conditioned place preference paradigm for humans: Does trait social anxiety affect approach and avoidance of virtual agents?},
  series = {Frontiers in Virtual Reality},
  volume    = {3},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Virtual Reality},
  issn      = {2673-4192},
  doi       = {10.3389/frvir.2022.916575},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-293564},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Approach and avoidance of positive and negative social cues are fundamental to prevent isolation and ensure survival. High trait social anxiety is characterized by an avoidance of social situations and extensive avoidance is a risk factor for the development of social anxiety disorder (SAD). Therefore, experimental methods to assess social avoidance behavior in humans are essential. The social conditioned place preference (SCPP) paradigm is a well-established experimental paradigm in animal research that is used to objectively investigate social approach-avoidance mechanisms. We retranslated this paradigm for human research using virtual reality. To this end, 58 healthy adults were exposed to either a happy- or angry-looking virtual agent in a specific room, and the effects of this encounter on dwell time as well as evaluation of this room in a later test without an agent were examined. We did not observe a general SCPP effect on dwell time or ratings but discovered a moderation by trait social anxiety, in which participants with higher trait social anxiety spent less time in the room in which the angry agent was present before, suggesting that higher levels of trait social anxiety foster conditioned social avoidance. However, further studies are needed to verify this observation and substantiate an association with social anxiety disorder. We discussed the strengths, limitations, and technical implications of our paradigm for future investigations to more comprehensively understand the mechanisms involved in social anxiety and facilitate the development of new personalized treatment approaches by using virtual reality.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{KaethnerEidelHaegeetal.2022,
  author    = {K{\"a}thner, Ivo and Eidel, Matthias and H{\"a}ge, Anne-Sophie and Gram, Annika and Pauli, Paul},
  title     = {Observing physicians acting with different levels of empathy modulates later assessed pain tolerance},
  series = {British Journal of Health Psychology},
  volume    = {27},
  journal   = {British Journal of Health Psychology},
  number    = {2},
  doi       = {10.1111/bjhp.12553},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-258368},
  pages     = {434-448},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Objectives The patient-physician relationship is essential for treatment success. Previous studies demonstrated that physicians who behave empathic in their interaction with patients have a positive effect on health outcomes. In this study, we investigated if the mere perception of physicians as empathic/not empathic modulates pain despite an emotionally neutral interaction with the patients. Methods N = 60 women took part in an experimental study that simulated a clinical interaction. In the paradigm, each participant watched two immersive 360° videos via a head-mounted display from a patient's perspective. The physicians in the videos behaved either empathic or not empathic towards a third person. Importantly, these physicians remained emotionally neutral in the subsequent virtual interaction with the participants. Finally, participants received a controlled, painful pressure stimulus within the narratives of the videos. Results The physicians in the high compared with the low empathy videos were rated as more empathic and more likable, indicating successful experimental manipulation. In spite of later neutral behaviour of physicians, this short observation of physicians' behaviour towards a third person was sufficient to modulate pain tolerance of the participants. Conclusions The finding of this study that the mere observation of physicians' behaviour towards a third person modulates pain, despite a neutral direct interaction with the participants, has important clinical implications. Further, the proposed paradigm enables investigating aspects of patient-physician communication that are difficult to examine in a clinical setting.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{PittigHeinigGoerigketal.2021,
  author    = {Pittig, Andre and Heinig, Ingmar and Goerigk, Stephan and Thiel, Freya and Hummel, Katrin and Scholl, Lucie and Deckert, J{\"u}rgen and Pauli, Paul and Domschke, Katharina and Lueken, Ulrike and Fydrich, Thomas and Fehm, Lydia and Plag, Jens and Str{\"o}hle, Andreas and Kircher, Tilo and Straube, Benjamin and Rief, Winfried and Koelkebeck, Katja and Arolt, Volker and Dannlowski, Udo and Margraf, J{\"u}rgen and Totzeck, Christina and Schneider, Silvia and Neudeck, Peter and Craske, Michelle G. and Hollandt, Maike and Richter, Jan and Hamm, Alfons and Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich},
  title     = {Efficacy of temporally intensified exposure for anxiety disorders: A multicenter randomized clinical trial},
  series = {Depression and Anxiety},
  volume    = {38},
  journal   = {Depression and Anxiety},
  number    = {11},
  doi       = {10.1002/da.23204},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-257331},
  pages     = {1169-1181},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Background The need to optimize exposure treatments for anxiety disorders may be addressed by temporally intensified exposure sessions. Effects on symptom reduction and public health benefits should be examined across different anxiety disorders with comorbid conditions. Methods This multicenter randomized controlled trial compared two variants of prediction error-based exposure therapy (PeEx) in various anxiety disorders (both 12 sessions + 2 booster sessions, 100 min/session): temporally intensified exposure (PeEx-I) with exposure sessions condensed to 2 weeks (n = 358) and standard nonintensified exposure (PeEx-S) with weekly exposure sessions (n = 368). Primary outcomes were anxiety symptoms (pre, post, and 6-months follow-up). Secondary outcomes were global severity (across sessions), quality of life, disability days, and comorbid depression. Results Both treatments resulted in substantial improvements at post (PeEx-I: d\(_{within}\) = 1.50, PeEx-S: d\(_{within}\) = 1.78) and follow-up (PeEx-I: d\(_{within}\) = 2.34; PeEx-S: d\(_{within}\) = 2.03). Both groups showed formally equivalent symptom reduction at post and follow-up. However, time until response during treatment was 32\% shorter in PeEx-I (median = 68 days) than PeEx-S (108 days; TR\(_{PeEx-I}\)-I = 0.68). Interestingly, drop-out rates were lower during intensified exposure. PeEx-I was also superior in reducing disability days and improving quality of life at follow-up without increasing relapse. Conclusions Both treatment variants focusing on the transdiagnostic exposure-based violation of threat beliefs were effective in reducing symptom severity and disability in severe anxiety disorders. Temporally intensified exposure resulted in faster treatment response with substantial public health benefits and lower drop-out during the exposure phase, without higher relapse. Clinicians can expect better or at least comparable outcomes when delivering exposure in a temporally intensified manner.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{HerzogAndreattaSchneideretal.2021,
  author    = {Herzog, Katharina and Andreatta, Marta and Schneider, Kristina and Schiele, Miriam A. and Domschke, Katharina and Romanos, Marcel and Deckert, J{\"u}rgen and Pauli, Paul},
  title     = {Reducing Generalization of Conditioned Fear: Beneficial Impact of Fear Relevance and Feedback in Discrimination Training},
  series = {Frontiers in Psychology},
  volume    = {12},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Psychology},
  issn      = {1664-1078},
  doi       = {10.3389/fpsyg.2021.665711},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-239970},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Anxiety patients over-generalize fear, possibly because of an incapacity to discriminate threat and safety signals. Discrimination trainings are promising approaches for reducing such fear over-generalization. Here we investigated the efficacy of a fear-relevant vs. a fear-irrelevant discrimination training on fear generalization and whether the effects are increased with feedback during training. Eighty participants underwent two fear acquisition blocks, during which one face (conditioned stimulus, CS+), but not another face (CS-), was associated with a female scream (unconditioned stimulus, US). During two generalization blocks, both CSs plus four morphs (generalization stimuli, GS1-GS4) were presented. Between these generalization blocks, half of the participants underwent a fear-relevant discrimination training (discrimination between CS+ and the other faces) with or without feedback and the other half a fear-irrelevant discrimination training (discrimination between the width of lines) with or without feedback. US expectancy, arousal, valence ratings, and skin conductance responses (SCR) indicated successful fear acquisition. Importantly, fear-relevant vs. fear-irrelevant discrimination trainings and feedback vs. no feedback reduced generalization as reflected in US expectancy ratings independently from one another. No effects of training condition were found for arousal and valence ratings or SCR. In summary, this is a first indication that fear-relevant discrimination training and feedback can improve the discrimination between threat and safety signals in healthy individuals, at least for learning-related evaluations, but not evaluations of valence or (physiological) arousal.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{PostemaHoogmanAmbrosinoetal.2021,
  author    = {Postema, Merel C. and Hoogman, Martine and Ambrosino, Sara and Asherson, Philip and Banaschewski, Tobias and Bandeira, Cibele E. and Baranov, Alexandr and Bau, Claiton H.D. and Baumeister, Sarah and Baur-Streubel, Ramona and Bellgrove, Mark A. and Biederman, Joseph and Bralten, Janita and Brandeis, Daniel and Brem, Silvia and Buitelaar, Jan K. and Busatto, Geraldo F. and Castellanos, Francisco X. and Cercignani, Mara and Chaim-Avancini, Tiffany M. and Chantiluke, Kaylita C. and Christakou, Anastasia and Coghill, David and Conzelmann, Annette and Cubillo, Ana I. and Cupertino, Renata B. and de Zeeuw, Patrick and Doyle, Alysa E. and Durston, Sarah and Earl, Eric A. and Epstein, Jeffery N. and Ethofer, Thomas and Fair, Damien A. and Fallgatter, Andreas J. and Faraone, Stephen V. and Frodl, Thomas and Gabel, Matt C. and Gogberashvili, Tinatin and Grevet, Eugenio H. and Haavik, Jan and Harrison, Neil A. and Hartman, Catharina A. and Heslenfeld, Dirk J. and Hoekstra, Pieter J. and Hohmann, Sarah and H{\o}vik, Marie F. and Jernigan, Terry L. and Kardatzki, Bernd and Karkashadze, Georgii and Kelly, Clare and Kohls, Gregor and Konrad, Kerstin and Kuntsi, Jonna and Lazaro, Luisa and Lera-Miguel, Sara and Lesch, Klaus-Peter and Louza, Mario R. and Lundervold, Astri J. and Malpas, Charles B and Mattos, Paulo and McCarthy, Hazel and Namazova-Baranova, Leyla and Nicolau, Rosa and Nigg, Joel T. and Novotny, Stephanie E. and Oberwelland Weiss, Eileen and O'Gorman Tuura, Ruth L. and Oosterlaan, Jaap and Oranje, Bob and Paloyelis, Yannis and Pauli, Paul and Picon, Felipe A. and Plessen, Kerstin J. and Ramos-Quiroga, J. Antoni and Reif, Andreas and Reneman, Liesbeth and Rosa, Pedro G.P. and Rubia, Katya and Schrantee, Anouk and Schweren, Lizanne J.S. and Seitz, Jochen and Shaw, Philip and Silk, Tim J. and Skokauskas, Norbert and Soliva Vila, Juan C. and Stevens, Michael C. and Sudre, Gustavo and Tamm, Leanne and Tovar-Moll, Fernanda and van Erp, Theo G.M. and Vance, Alasdair and Vilarroya, Oscar and Vives-Gilabert, Yolanda and von Polier, Georg G. and Walitza, Susanne and Yoncheva, Yuliya N. and Zanetti, Marcus V. and Ziegler, Georg C. and Glahn, David C. and Jahanshad, Neda and Medland, Sarah E. and Thompson, Paul M. and Fisher, Simon E. and Franke, Barbara and Francks, Clyde},
  title     = {Analysis of structural brain asymmetries in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in 39 datasets},
  series = {Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry},
  volume    = {62},
  journal   = {Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry},
  number    = {10},
  doi       = {10.1111/jcpp.13396},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-239968},
  pages     = {1202 -- 1219},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Objective Some studies have suggested alterations of structural brain asymmetry in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but findings have been contradictory and based on small samples. Here, we performed the largest ever analysis of brain left-right asymmetry in ADHD, using 39 datasets of the ENIGMA consortium. Methods We analyzed asymmetry of subcortical and cerebral cortical structures in up to 1,933 people with ADHD and 1,829 unaffected controls. Asymmetry Indexes (AIs) were calculated per participant for each bilaterally paired measure, and linear mixed effects modeling was applied separately in children, adolescents, adults, and the total sample, to test exhaustively for potential associations of ADHD with structural brain asymmetries. Results There was no evidence for altered caudate nucleus asymmetry in ADHD, in contrast to prior literature. In children, there was less rightward asymmetry of the total hemispheric surface area compared to controls (t = 2.1, p = .04). Lower rightward asymmetry of medial orbitofrontal cortex surface area in ADHD (t = 2.7, p = .01) was similar to a recent finding for autism spectrum disorder. There were also some differences in cortical thickness asymmetry across age groups. In adults with ADHD, globus pallidus asymmetry was altered compared to those without ADHD. However, all effects were small (Cohen's d from -0.18 to 0.18) and would not survive study-wide correction for multiple testing. Conclusion Prior studies of altered structural brain asymmetry in ADHD were likely underpowered to detect the small effects reported here. Altered structural asymmetry is unlikely to provide a useful biomarker for ADHD, but may provide neurobiological insights into the trait.},
  language  = {en}
}