Individuals with autism spectrum disorder show normal responses to a fear potential startle paradigm
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder show normal responses to a fear potential startle paradigm
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DOI：
10.1007/s10803-005-0002-0
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发表时间：
2005-10-01
影响因子：
3.9
通讯作者：
Webb, S
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Bernier, R;Dawson, G;Webb, S
本研究采用恐惧强化惊吓范式来研究自闭症谱系障碍患者的杏仁核功能。关于自闭症患者的杏仁核功能障碍，有两种相互竞争的假设：（1）杏仁核反应不足，在这种情况下，可以预测，在恐惧增强惊吓实验中，自闭症患者会表现出恐惧条件反射和/或增强作用的降低，以及（2）杏仁核反应过度，在这种情况下，可以预测惊吓反应的增强作用过度。14名被诊断为自闭症谱系障碍的青少年和成人以及14名年龄、性别、智商和焦虑水平相匹配的典型青少年和成人参加了研究。自闭症和典型的参与者加强惊吓反应后的恐惧条件反射和没有组差异的潜伏期或振幅的增强惊吓responses. These结果表明，这方面的杏仁核功能，即恐惧条件反射和增强的惊吓反应，是完整的自闭症患者。
The present study utilized a fear potentiated startle paradigm to examine amygdala function in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Two competing hypotheses regarding amygdala dysfunction in autism have been proposed: (1) The amygdala is under-responsive, in which case it would be predicted that, in a fear potentiated startle experiment, individuals with autism would exhibit decreased fear conditioning and/or potentiation, and (2) The amygdala is over responsive, in which case an exaggerated potentiation of the startle response would be predicted. Fourteen adolescents and adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and 14 age, gender, IQ, and anxiety level-matched typical adolescents and adults participated. Both participants with autism and typical participants potentiated the startle response following fear conditioning and no group differences in the latency or amplitude of the potentiated startle response were found. These results suggest that this aspect of amygdala function, namely fear conditioning and potentiation of the startle response, is intact in individuals with autism.