Author:
Günther Vivien,Pecher Jonas,Webelhorst Carolin,Bodenschatz Charlott Maria,Mucha Simone,Kersting Anette,Hoffmann Karl-Titus,Egloff Boris,Lobsien Donald,Suslow Thomas
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Trait anxiety refers to a stable tendency to experience fears and worries across many situations. High trait anxiety is a vulnerability factor for the development of psychopathologies. Self-reported trait anxiety appears to be associated with an automatic processing advantage for threat-related information. Self-report measures assess aspects of the explicit self-concept of anxiety. Indirect measures can tap into the implicit self-concept of anxiety.
Methods
We examined automatic brain responsiveness to non-conscious threat as a function of trait anxiety using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Besides a self-report instrument, we administered the Implicit Association Test (IAT) to assess anxiety. We used a gender-decision paradigm presenting brief (17 ms) and backward-masked facial expressions depicting disgust and fear.
Results
Explicit trait anxiety was not associated with brain responsiveness to non-conscious threat. However, a relation of the implicit self-concept of anxiety with masked fear processing in the thalamus, precentral gyrus, and lateral prefrontal cortex was observed.
Conclusions
We provide evidence that a measure of the implicit self-concept of anxiety is a valuable predictor of automatic neural responses to threat in cortical and subcortical areas. Hence, implicit anxiety measures could be a useful addition to explicit instruments. Our data support the notion that the thalamus may constitute an important neural substrate in biased non-conscious processing in anxiety.
Funder
Medical Faculty of the University of Leipzig
Universität Leipzig
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience,General Neuroscience
Cited by
1 articles.
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