@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{HaberstumpfForsterLeinweberetal.2022, author = {Haberstumpf, Sophia and Forster, Andr{\´e} and Leinweber, Jonas and Rauskolb, Stefanie and Hewig, Johannes and Sendtner, Michael and Lauer, Martin and Polak, Thomas and Deckert, J{\"u}rgen and Herrmann, Martin J.}, title = {Measurement invariance testing of longitudinal neuropsychiatric test scores distinguishes pathological from normative cognitive decline and highlights its potential in early detection research}, series = {Journal of Neuropsychology}, volume = {16}, journal = {Journal of Neuropsychology}, number = {2}, doi = {10.1111/jnp.12269}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-318932}, pages = {324 -- 352}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Objective Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a growing challenge worldwide, which is why the search for early-onset predictors must be focused as soon as possible. Longitudinal studies that investigate courses of neuropsychological and other variables screen for such predictors correlated to mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, one often neglected issue in analyses of such studies is measurement invariance (MI), which is often assumed but not tested for. This study uses the absence of MI (non-MI) and latent factor scores instead of composite variables to assess properties of cognitive domains, compensation mechanisms, and their predictability to establish a method for a more comprehensive understanding of pathological cognitive decline. Methods An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a set of increasingly restricted confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were conducted to find latent factors, compared them with the composite approach, and to test for longitudinal (partial-)MI in a neuropsychiatric test battery, consisting of 14 test variables. A total of 330 elderly (mean age: 73.78 ± 1.52 years at baseline) were analyzed two times (3 years apart). Results EFA revealed a four-factor model representing declarative memory, attention, working memory, and visual-spatial processing. Based on CFA, an accurate model was estimated across both measurement timepoints. Partial non-MI was found for parameters such as loadings, test- and latent factor intercepts as well as latent factor variances. The latent factor approach was preferable to the composite approach. Conclusion The overall assessment of non-MI latent factors may pose a possible target for this field of research. Hence, the non-MI of variances indicated variables that are especially suited for the prediction of pathological cognitive decline, while non-MI of intercepts indicated general aging-related decline. As a result, the sole assessment of MI may help distinguish pathological from normative aging processes and additionally may reveal compensatory neuropsychological mechanisms.}, language = {en} } @article{HaberstumpfLeinweberLaueretal.2022, author = {Haberstumpf, Sophia and Leinweber, Jonas and Lauer, Martin and Polak, Thomas and Deckert, J{\"u}rgen and Herrmann, Martin J.}, title = {Factors associated with dropout in the longitudinal Vogel study of cognitive decline}, series = {The European Journal of Neuroscience}, volume = {56}, journal = {The European Journal of Neuroscience}, number = {9}, doi = {10.1111/ejn.15446}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-318945}, pages = {5587 -- 5600}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, is a growing problem worldwide. Prevention or early detection of the disease or a prodromal cognitive decline is necessary. By means of our long-term follow-up 'Vogel study', we aim to predict the pathological cognitive decline of a German cohort (mean age was 73.9 ± 1.55 years at first visit) with three measurement time points within 6 years per participant. Especially in samples of the elderly and subjects with chronic or co-morbid diseases, dropouts are one of the biggest problems of long-term studies. In contrast to the large number of research articles conducted on the course of dementia, little research has been done on the completion of treatment. To ensure unbiased and reliable predictors of cognitive decline from study completers, our objective was to determine predictors of dropout. We conducted multivariate analyses of covariance and multinomial logistic regression analyses to compare and predict the subject's dropout behaviour at the second visit 3 years after baseline (full participation, partial participation and no participation/dropout) with neuropsychiatric, cognitive, blood and lifestyle variables. Lower performance in declarative memory, attention and visual-spatial processing predicted dropout rather than full participation. Lower performance in visual-spatial processing predicted partial participation as opposed to full participation. Furthermore, lower performance in mini-mental status examination predicted whether subjects dropped out or participated partially instead of full participation. Baseline cognitive parameters are associated with dropouts at follow-up with a loss of impaired participants. We expect a bias into a healthier sample over time.}, language = {en} } @article{QiBruchKropetal.2021, author = {Qi, Yanyan and Bruch, Dorothee and Krop, Philipp and Herrmann, Martin J. and Latoschik, Marc E. and Deckert, J{\"u}rgen and Hein, Grit}, title = {Social buffering of human fear is shaped by gender, social concern, and the presence of real vs virtual agents}, series = {Translational Psychiatry}, volume = {11}, journal = {Translational Psychiatry}, doi = {10.1038/s41398-021-01761-5}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-265782}, year = {2021}, abstract = {The presence of a partner can attenuate physiological fear responses, a phenomenon known as social buffering. However, not all individuals are equally sociable. Here we investigated whether social buffering of fear is shaped by sensitivity to social anxiety (social concern) and whether these effects are different in females and males. We collected skin conductance responses (SCRs) and affect ratings of female and male participants when they experienced aversive and neutral sounds alone (alone treatment) or in the presence of an unknown person of the same gender (social treatment). Individual differences in social concern were assessed based on a well-established questionnaire. Our results showed that social concern had a stronger effect on social buffering in females than in males. The lower females scored on social concern, the stronger the SCRs reduction in the social compared to the alone treatment. The effect of social concern on social buffering of fear in females disappeared if participants were paired with a virtual agent instead of a real person. Together, these results showed that social buffering of human fear is shaped by gender and social concern. In females, the presence of virtual agents can buffer fear, irrespective of individual differences in social concern. These findings specify factors that shape the social modulation of human fear, and thus might be relevant for the treatment of anxiety disorders.}, language = {en} } @article{ReimannStopperPolaketal.2020, author = {Reimann, Hauke and Stopper, Helga and Polak, Thomas and Lauer, Martin and Herrmann, Martin J. and Deckert, J{\"u}rgen and Hintzsche, Henning}, title = {Micronucleus frequency in buccal mucosa cells of patients with neurodegenerative diseases}, series = {Scientific Reports}, volume = {10}, journal = {Scientific Reports}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-020-78832-y}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-231430}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Neurodegenerative diseases show an increase in prevalence and incidence, with the most prominent example being Alzheimer's disease. DNA damage has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis, but the exact mechanisms remain elusive. We enrolled 425 participants with and without neurodegenerative diseases and analyzed DNA damage in the form of micronuclei in buccal mucosa samples. In addition, other parameters such as binucleated cells, karyolytic cells, and karyorrhectic cells were quantified. No relevant differences in DNA damage and cytotoxicity markers were observed in patients compared to healthy participants. Furthermore, other parameters such as lifestyle factors and diseases were also investigated. Overall, this study could not identify a direct link between changes in buccal cells and neurogenerative diseases, but highlights the influence of lifestyle factors and diseases on the human buccal cytome.}, language = {en} } @article{RaynerColemanPurvesetal.2019, author = {Rayner, Christopher and Coleman, Jonathan R. I. and Purves, Kirstin L. and Hodsoll, John and Goldsmith, Kimberley and Alpers, Georg W. and Andersson, Evelyn and Arolt, Volker and Boberg, Julia and B{\"o}gels, Susan and Creswell, Cathy and Cooper, Peter and Curtis, Charles and Deckert, J{\"u}rgen and Domschke, Katharina and El Alaoui, Samir and Fehm, Lydia and Fydrich, Thomas and Gerlach, Alexander L. and Grocholewski, Anja and Hahlweg, Kurt and Hamm, Alfons and Hedman, Erik and Heiervang, Einar R. and Hudson, Jennifer L. and J{\"o}hren, Peter and Keers, Robert and Kircher, Tilo and Lang, Thomas and Lavebratt, Catharina and Lee, Sang-hyuck and Lester, Kathryn J. and Lindefors, Nils and Margraf, J{\"u}rgen and Nauta, Maaike and Pan{\´e}-Farr{\´e}, Christiane A. and Pauli, Paul and Rapee, Ronald M. and Reif, Andreas and Rief, Winfried and Roberts, Susanna and Schalling, Martin and Schneider, Silvia and Silverman, Wendy K. and Str{\"o}hle, Andreas and Teismann, Tobias and Thastum, Mikael and Wannem{\"u}ller, Andre and Weber, Heike and Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich and Wolf, Christiane and R{\"u}ck, Christian and Breen, Gerome and Eley, Thalia C.}, title = {A genome-wide association meta-analysis of prognostic outcomes following cognitive behavioural therapy in individuals with anxiety and depressive disorders}, series = {Translational Psychiatry}, volume = {9}, journal = {Translational Psychiatry}, number = {150}, doi = {10.1038/s41398-019-0481-y}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-225048}, pages = {1-13}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Major depressive disorder and the anxiety disorders are highly prevalent, disabling and moderately heritable. Depression and anxiety are also highly comorbid and have a strong genetic correlation (r(g) approximate to 1). Cognitive behavioural therapy is a leading evidence-based treatment but has variable outcomes. Currently, there are no strong predictors of outcome. Therapygenetics research aims to identify genetic predictors of prognosis following therapy. We performed genome-wide association meta-analyses of symptoms following cognitive behavioural therapy in adults with anxiety disorders (n = 972), adults with major depressive disorder (n = 832) and children with anxiety disorders (n = 920; meta-analysis n = 2724). We (h(SNP)(2)) and polygenic scoring was used to examine genetic associations between therapy outcomes and psychopathology, personality and estimated the variance in therapy outcomes that could be explained by common genetic variants learning. No single nucleotide polymorphisms were strongly associated with treatment outcomes. No significant estimate of h(SNP)(2) could be obtained, suggesting the heritability of therapy outcome is smaller than our analysis was powered to detect. Polygenic scoring failed to detect genetic overlap between therapy outcome and psychopathology, personality or learning. This study is the largest therapygenetics study to date. Results are consistent with previous, similarly powered genome-wide association studies of complex traits.}, language = {en} } @article{SchieleZieglerKollertetal.2018, author = {Schiele, Miriam A. and Ziegler, Christiane and Kollert, Leonie and Katzorke, Andrea and Schartner, Christoph and Busch, Yasmin and Gromer, Daniel and Reif, Andreas and Pauli, Paul and Deckert, J{\"u}rgen and Herrmann, Martin J. and Domschke, Katharina}, title = {Plasticity of Functional MAOA Gene Methylation in Acrophobia}, series = {International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology}, volume = {21}, journal = {International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology}, number = {9}, doi = {10.1093/ijnp/pyy050}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-228571}, pages = {822-827}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Epigenetic mechanisms have been proposed to mediate fear extinction in animal models. Here, MAOA methylation was analyzed via direct sequencing of sodium bisulfite-treated DNA extracted from blood cells before and after a 2-week exposure therapy in a sample of n = 28 female patients with acrophobia as well as in n = 28 matched healthy female controls. Clinical response was measured using the Acrophobia Questionnaire and the Attitude Towards Heights Questionnaire. The functional relevance of altered MAOA methylation was investigated by luciferase-based reporter gene assays. MAOA methylation was found to be significantly decreased in patients with acrophobia compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, MAOA methylation levels were shown to significantly increase after treatment and correlate with treatment response as reflected by decreasing Acrophobia Questionnaire/Attitude Towards Heights Questionnaire scores. Functional analyses revealed decreased reporter gene activity in presence of methylated compared with unmethylated pCpGfree_MAOA reporter gene vector constructs. The present proof-of-concept psychotherapy-epigenetic study for the first time suggests functional MAOA methylation changes as a potential epigenetic correlate of treatment response in acrophobia and fosters further investigation into the notion of epigenetic mechanisms underlying fear extinction.}, language = {en} } @article{KatzorkeZellerMuelleretal.2017, author = {Katzorke, Andrea and Zeller, Julia B. M. and M{\"u}ller, Laura D. and Lauer, Martin and Polak, Thomas and Reif, Andreas and Deckert, J{\"u}rgen and Herrmann, Martin J.}, title = {Reduced activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus in elderly APOE-E4 carriers during a verbal fluency task}, series = {Frontiers in Human Neuroscience}, volume = {11}, journal = {Frontiers in Human Neuroscience}, doi = {10.3389/fnhum.2017.00046}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-171892}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Apolipoprotein-E4 (APOE-E4) is a major genetic risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). The verbal fluency task (VFT), especially the subtask category fluency, has shown to provide a good discrimination between cognitively normal controls and subjects with AD. Interestingly, APOE-E4 seems to have no effect on the behavioral performance during a VFT in healthy elderly. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to reveal possible compensation mechanisms by investigating the effect of APOE-E4 on the hemodynamic response in non-demented elderly during a VFT by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). We compared performance and hemodynamic response of high risk APOE-E4/E4, -E3/E4 carriers with neutral APOE-E3/E3 non-demented subjects (N = 288; 70-77 years). No difference in performance was found. APOE-E4/E4, -E3/E4 carriers had a decreased hemodynamic response in the right inferior frontal junction (IFJ) with a corresponding higher response in the left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) during category fluency. Performance was correlated with the hemodynamic response in the MFG. We assume a compensation of decreased IFJ brain activation by utilizing the MFG during category fluency and thus resulting in no behavioral differences between APOE-groups during the performance of a VFT.}, language = {en} } @article{KingslakeDiasDawsonetal.2017, author = {Kingslake, Jonathan and Dias, Rebecca and Dawson, Gerard R. and Simon, Judit and Goodwin, Guy M. and Harmer, Catherine J. and Morriss, Richard and Brown, Susan and Guo, Boliang and Dourish, Colin T. and Ruh{\´e}, Henricus G. and Lever, Anne G. and Veltman, Dick J. and van Schaik, Anneke and Deckert, J{\"u}rgen and Reif, Andreas and St{\"a}blein, Michael and Menke, Andreas and Gorwood, Philip and Voegeli, G{\´e}raldine and Perez, Victor and Browning, Michael}, title = {The effects of using the PReDicT Test to guide the antidepressant treatment of depressed patients: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial}, series = {Trials}, volume = {18}, journal = {Trials}, doi = {10.1186/s13063-017-2247-2}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-173012}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Background Antidepressant medication is commonly used to treat depression. However, many patients do not respond to the first medication prescribed and improvements in symptoms are generally only detectable by clinicians 4-6 weeks after the medication has been initiated. As a result, there is often a long delay between the decision to initiate an antidepressant medication and the identification of an effective treatment regimen. Previous work has demonstrated that antidepressant medications alter subtle measures of affective cognition in depressed patients, such as the appraisal of facial expression. Furthermore, these cognitive effects of antidepressants are apparent early in the course of treatment and can also predict later clinical response. This trial will assess whether an electronic test of affective cognition and symptoms (the Predicting Response to Depression Treatment Test; PReDicT Test) can be used to guide antidepressant treatment in depressed patients and, therefore, hasten treatment response compared to a control group of patients treated as usual. Methods/design The study is a randomised, two-arm, multi-centre, open-label, clinical investigation of a medical device, the PReDicT Test. It will be conducted in five European countries (UK, France, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands) in depressed patients who are commencing antidepressant medication. Patients will be randomised to treatment guided by the PReDicT Test (PReDicT arm) or to Treatment as Usual (TaU arm). Patients in the TaU arm will be treated as per current standard guidelines in their particular country. Patients in the PReDicT arm will complete the PReDicT Test after 1 (and if necessary, 2) weeks of treatment. If the test indicates non-response to the treatment, physicians will be advised to immediately alter the patient's antidepressant therapy by dose escalation or switching to another compound. The primary outcome of the study is the proportion of patients showing a clinical response (defined as 50\% or greater decrease in baseline scores of depressionmeasured using the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms - Self-Rated questionnaire) at week 8. Health economic and acceptability data will also be collected and analysed. Discussion This trial will test the clinical efficacy, cost-effectiveness and acceptability of using the novel PReDicT Test to guide antidepressant treatment selection in depressed patients. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT02790970. Registered on 30 March 2016.}, language = {en} } @article{LuekenKuhnYangetal.2017, author = {Lueken, U and Kuhn, M and Yang, Y and Straube, B and Kircher, T and Wittchen, H-U and Pfleiderer, B and Arolt, V and Wittmann, A and Str{\"o}hle, A and Weber, H and Reif, A and Domschke, K and Deckert, J and Lonsdorf, TB}, title = {Modulation of defensive reactivity by GLRB allelic variation: converging evidence from an intermediate phenotype approach}, series = {Translational Psychiatry}, volume = {7}, journal = {Translational Psychiatry}, number = {e1227}, doi = {10.1038/tp.2017.186}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-182381}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Representing a phylogenetically old and very basic mechanism of inhibitory neurotransmission, glycine receptors have been implicated in the modulation of behavioral components underlying defensive responding toward threat. As one of the first findings being confirmed by genome-wide association studies for the phenotype of panic disorder and agoraphobia, allelic variation in a gene coding for the glycine receptor beta subunit (GLRB) has recently been associated with increased neural fear network activation and enhanced acoustic startle reflexes. On the basis of two independent healthy control samples, we here aimed to further explore the functional significance of the GLRB genotype (rs7688285) by employing an intermediate phenotype approach. We focused on the phenotype of defensive system reactivity across the levels of brain function, structure, and physiology. Converging evidence across both samples was found for increased neurofunctional activation in the (anterior) insular cortex in GLRB risk allele carriers and altered fear conditioning as a function of genotype. The robustness of GLRB effects is demonstrated by consistent findings across different experimental fear conditioning paradigms and recording sites. Altogether, findings provide translational evidence for glycine neurotransmission as a modulator of the brain's evolutionary old dynamic defensive system and provide further support for a strong, biologically plausible candidate intermediate phenotype of defensive reactivity. As such, glycine-dependent neurotransmission may open up new avenues for mechanistic research on the etiopathogenesis of fear and anxiety disorders.}, language = {en} }