The role of trait anxiety in associative learning during and after an aversive event

Abstract

Trait anxiety is considered to be a risk factor for anxiety disorders. The aim of the present study was to investigate how trait anxiety affects associative learning during and after an aversive event in laboratory rats. For this, rats were first submitted to a light–dark box test, followed by relief, safety, and fear learning. Our data demonstrate that all types of learning were affected by trait anxiety, both on a group and on an individual level. Whereas high levels of anxiety impaired relief and safety learning, fear learning was more pronounced. These findings help to show how trait anxiety might be involved in the etiology of anxiety disorders and pathological sensation- and risk-seeking.