Control conditions in the fear-potentiated startle response paradigm.
Neuroreport
; 8(4): 1031-4, 1997 Mar 03.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-9141086
ABSTRACT
In the present study, the fear-potentiated startle response paradigm was modified in order to investigate the decrease in control startle levels often observed after administration of anxiolytic drugs. The within-animal comparison of control startle amplitudes and fear-potentiated startle amplitudes normally used was replaced by a between-animal comparison. Moreover, the experimental design was extended with an additional control group, a no-shock group. The anxiolytics diazepam and chlordiazepoxide were used as pharmacological tools. The main findings were that both benzodiazepines dose-dependently reduced control startle amplitudes and no-shock startle amplitudes equally, suggesting that shock-associated contextual cues are not responsible for the drug-induced decrease in control startle amplitudes in the fear-potentiated startle response paradigm.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Reflex, Startle
/
Chlordiazepoxide
/
Diazepam
/
Fear
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
Neuroreport
Journal subject:
NEUROLOGIA
Year:
1997
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Netherlands