Heterogeneity of non-conscious fear perception in posttraumatic stress disorder as a function of physiological arousal: An fMRI study

Kemp, Andrew H.; Felmingham, Kim L.; Falconer, Erin; Liddell, Belinda J.; Bryant, Richard A.; Williams, Leanne M.

doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2009.04.012

« Previous Next »Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging
Volume 174, Issue 2 , Pages 158-161, 30 November 2009

Heterogeneity of non-conscious fear perception in posttraumatic stress disorder as a function of physiological arousal: An fMRI study

Andrew H. Kemp
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Discipline of Psychological Medicine and Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, 2145 NSW, Australia
- Corresponding author. The School of Psychology, Brennan MacCallum Building (A18), University of Sydney, 2006 NSW, Australia. Tel.: +61 2 93517585; fax: +61 2 9036 5223.
Kim L. Felmingham
- Discipline of Psychological Medicine and Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, 2145 NSW, Australia
Erin Falconer
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Belinda J. Liddell
- Discipline of Psychological Medicine and Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, 2145 NSW, Australia
Richard A. Bryant
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Leanne M. Williams
- Discipline of Psychological Medicine and Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, 2145 NSW, Australia

Received 29 April 2008; received in revised form 24 March 2009; accepted 27 April 2009.

Abstract

While posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often characterised by an excessive fear response and hyperarousal, research has generally neglected other clinical characteristics including hypoarousal. Findings indicate that concurrent autonomic activity is associated with increased non-conscious processing of fear, highlighting that autonomic responsivity may be an important determinant in the degree of activation within the brainstem-amygdala-MPFC (medial prefrontal cortex) network.

Keywords: PTSD, Arousal, Non-conscious fear perception