Robert Miranda1, Lori A Meyerson, Ryan R Myers, William R Lovallo. 1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, USA. robert_miranda_jr@brown.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Individual differences in neural circuitry that regulate emotional reactivity may be associated with alcoholism and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), a common comorbid condition. The emotion-modulated startle reflex was used to investigate emotional reactivity among alcohol-dependent (AD) men with and without ASPD. METHODS: Sixty-two men were tested: (1) AD (n = 24), (2) AD-ASPD (n = 17), and (3) non-AD, non-ASPD controls (n = 21). Participants completed self-report instruments and clinical interviews and had eye-blink electromyograms measured in response to acoustic startle probes while viewing color photographs rated as affectively pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant. RESULTS: Startle blink magnitudes were larger during unpleasant as compared with pleasant slides for control and AD groups, resulting in significant linear trend effects (p < 0.001) and nonsignificant quadratic trend effects. In contrast, AD-ASPD did not show a significant difference in blink magnitude during unpleasant and pleasant slides and did not show a significant linear valence trend or quadratic trend effect (p > 0.6). Subjective valence and arousal ratings of the photographs were similar across groups. CONCLUSIONS: Adult male alcoholics with ASPD have abnormal emotional responsiveness to both pleasant and unpleasant stimuli relative to alcoholics without ASPD and to controls.
BACKGROUND: Individual differences in neural circuitry that regulate emotional reactivity may be associated with alcoholism and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), a common comorbid condition. The emotion-modulated startle reflex was used to investigate emotional reactivity among alcohol-dependent (AD) men with and without ASPD. METHODS: Sixty-two men were tested: (1) AD (n = 24), (2) AD-ASPD (n = 17), and (3) non-AD, non-ASPD controls (n = 21). Participants completed self-report instruments and clinical interviews and had eye-blink electromyograms measured in response to acoustic startle probes while viewing color photographs rated as affectively pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant. RESULTS:Startle blink magnitudes were larger during unpleasant as compared with pleasant slides for control and AD groups, resulting in significant linear trend effects (p < 0.001) and nonsignificant quadratic trend effects. In contrast, AD-ASPD did not show a significant difference in blink magnitude during unpleasant and pleasant slides and did not show a significant linear valence trend or quadratic trend effect (p > 0.6). Subjective valence and arousal ratings of the photographs were similar across groups. CONCLUSIONS: Adult male alcoholics with ASPD have abnormal emotional responsiveness to both pleasant and unpleasant stimuli relative to alcoholics without ASPD and to controls.
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