Manish Asthana - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Manish Asthana

Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems

Research Square (Research Square), May 28, 2024

Fear generalization plays a major role in the acquisition and maintenance of anxiety disorders. I... more Fear generalization plays a major role in the acquisition and maintenance of anxiety disorders. In fear generalization, conditioned fear responses are observed for novel stimuli sharing perceptually or conceptually similar properties with the conditioned stimulus (CS). The reinforcement levels of the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) impact fear acquisition and generalization. Fear generalization can be studied using the category-based conditioning paradigm, where individuals are conditioned to members of a category rather than a single stimulus. The current study explored the effect of UCS reinforcement (i.e., continuous and partial) on conceptual fear generalization due to category-based similarity using a visual aversive UCS. The CSs were exemplars from four categories, i.e., animals, insects, appliances, and mechanical tools. Thirty healthy participants underwent fear acquisition with exemplars from the four stimulus categories, presented with varying levels of UCS reinforcement (100%, 62.5%, and 37.5%). Subsequently, fear generalization was tested with novel unreinforced exemplars from each category. A signi cant effect of reinforcement on the UCS expectancy and CS-UCS contingency ratings was observed. UCS expectancy ratings increased with increasing certainty of UCS occurrence in the generalization phase. Our results may help to understand how fear generalizes to conceptually related stimuli based on the certainty of the UCS occurrence.

Current Psychology, Jul 9, 2019

Previous research has indicated that visual attention can be automatically captured by sensory in... more Previous research has indicated that visual attention can be automatically captured by sensory inputs that match the contents of visual working memory. Furthermore, the information in visual working memory can be used as a template of memory guidance for either the selection or rejection of visual attention. The current study investigated the memory-driven attentional processes in four experiments which extend and complement previous research. Participants performed a visual search task while maintaining items in visual working memory. Experiment 1 used an arrow as a pre-cue indicating which side of the screen the search target would appear on. Experiment 2 used two circles as pre-cues for the right-up/down location of the search target. Experiment 3 presented a memory-matching distractor for 300 ms followed by a blank screen. Experiment 4 presented a memory-matching distractor for 150 ms followed by the visual search task. All experiments resulted in significantly slower visual search reaction times (RTs) for the invalid condition (memory-matching distractor) compared to the neutral condition but with no significant differences in memory performance. This result suggests that the contents of working memory affect the deployment of attention in visual search. Our findings show that attentional capture occurs even within short periods of 150 ms, which demonstrates the robustness and speed of memory-driven attentional processes. Consequently, attentional capture appears to be initiated at an early phase of visual processing but can be strategically inhibited through cognitive control at later stages of analysis.

Neuroscience journal, Apr 17, 2013

Background. In order to prevent future errors, we constantly control our behavior for discrepanci... more Background. In order to prevent future errors, we constantly control our behavior for discrepancies between the expected (i.e., intended) and the real action outcome and continuously adjust our behavior accordingly. Neurophysiological correlates of this action-monitoring process can be studied with event-related potentials (error-related negativity (ERN) and error positivity (Pe)) originating from the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Patients with neuropsychiatric diseases often show performance monitoring dysfunctions potentially caused by pathological changes of cortical excitability; therefore, a modulation of the underlying neuronal activity might be a valuable therapeutic tool. One technique which allows us to explore cortical modulation of neural networks is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Therefore, we tested the effect of medial-prefrontal tDCS on error-monitoring potentials in 48 healthy subjects randomly assigned to anodal, cathodal, or sham stimulation. Results. We found that cathodal stimulation attenuated Pe amplitudes compared to both anodal and sham stimulation, but no effect for the ERN. Conclusions. Our results indicate that cathodal tDCS over the mPFC results in an attenuated cortical excitability leading to decreased Pe amplitudes. We therefore conclude that tDCS has a neuromodulatory effect on error-monitoring systems suggesting a future approach to modify the sensitivity of corresponding neural networks in patients with action-monitoring deficits.

Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2013

It has been shown that applying transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the dorsolate... more It has been shown that applying transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) influences declarative memory processes. This study investigates the efficacy of tDCS on emotional memory consolidation, especially experimental fear conditioning. We applied an auditory fear-conditioning paradigm, in which two differently colored squares (blue and yellow) were presented as conditioned stimuli (CS) and an auditory stimulus as unconditioned stimulus (UCS). Sixty-nine participants were randomly assigned into three groups: anodal, cathodal, and sham stimulation. The participants of the two active groups (i.e., anodal and cathodal) received tDCS over the left DLPFC for 12 min after fear conditioning. The effect of fear conditioning and consolidation (24 h later) was measured by assessing the skin conductance response (SCR) to the CS. The results provide evidence that cathodal stimulation of the left DLPFC leads to an inhibitory effect on fear memory consolidation compared to anodal and sham stimulation, as indicated by decreased SCRs to CS+ presentation during extinction training at day 2. In conclusion, current work suggests that cathodal stimulation interferes with processes of fear memory consolidation.

Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Sep 1, 2015

William's syndrome is a multifaceted, unique syndrome, in which patients develop notable hypersoc... more William's syndrome is a multifaceted, unique syndrome, in which patients develop notable hypersociability and neurocognitive characteristics. In humans, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can enhance or diminish cortical excitability, which can modulate social cognition and behavior. The present knowledge suggests the involvement of dysfunctional neural circuitry and abnormal cortical excitability in neurodevelopmental disorder. The insight of tDCS to influence cortical excitability via membrane polarization constitutes a main breakthrough in our understanding of the changes in the brain states. In recent past, neuromodulatory effects of tDCS with regard to fear have been encouraged targeting the learning and memory processes. Nevertheless, until today tDCS studies with respect to fear and anxiety disorder has been very restricted. Consequently, in the near future, it will require special attention and further exploration. In this article author would like to suggest the potential of using tDCS to counter social fear in William's syndrome.

Frontiers in Psychology, Jan 10, 2018

Past studies have found asymmetry biases in human emotion recognition. The left side bias refers ... more Past studies have found asymmetry biases in human emotion recognition. The left side bias refers to preferential looking at the left-hemiface when actively exploring face images. However, these studies have been mainly conducted with static and frontally oriented stimuli, whereas real-life emotion recognition takes place on dynamic faces viewed from different angles. The aim of this study was to assess the judgment of genuine vs. masked expressions in dynamic movie clips of faces rotated to the right or left side. Forty-eight participants judged the expressions on faces displaying genuine or masked happy, sad, and fearful emotions. The head of the actor was either rotated to the left by a 45 • angle, thus showing the left side of the face (standard orientation), or inverted, with the same face shown from the right side perspective. The eye movements were registered by the eye tracker and the data were analyzed for the inverse efficiency score (IES), the number of fixations, gaze time on the whole face and in the regions of interest. Results showed shorter IESs and gaze times for happy compared to sad and fearful emotions, but no difference was found for these variables between sad and fearful emotions. The left side preference was evident from comparisons of the number of fixations. Standard stimuli received a higher number of fixations than inverted ones. However, gaze time was long on inverted compared to standard faces. Number of fixations on exposed hemiface interacted with the emotions decreasing from happy to sad and fearful. An opposite pattern was found for the occluded hemiface. These results suggest a change in fixation patterns in the rotated faces that may be beneficial for the judgments of expressions. Furthermore, this study replicated the effects of the judgment of genuine and masked emotions using dynamic faces.

The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, Dec 30, 2015

Background: Memory reconsolidation is the direct effect of memory reactivation followed by stabil... more Background: Memory reconsolidation is the direct effect of memory reactivation followed by stabilization of newly synthesized proteins. It has been well proven that neural encoding of both newly and reactivated memories requires synaptic plasticity. Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been extensively investigated regarding its role in the formation of synaptic plasticity and in the alteration of fear memories. However, its role in fear reconsolidation is still unclear; hence, the current study has been designed to investigate the role of the BDNF val66met polymorphism (rs6265) in fear memory reconsolidation in humans. Methods: An auditory fear-conditioning paradigm was conducted, which comprised of three stages (acquisition, reactivation, and spontaneous recovery). One day after fear acquisition, the experimental group underwent reactivation of fear memory followed by the extinction training (reminder group), whereas the control group (non-reminder group) underwent only extinction training. On day 3, both groups were subjected to spontaneous recovery of earlier learned fearful memories. The treat-elicited defensive response due to conditioned threat was measured by assessing the skin conductance response to the conditioned stimulus. All participants were genotyped for rs6265. Results: The results indicate a diminishing effect of reminder on the persistence of fear memory only in the Met-allele carriers, suggesting a moderating effect of the BDNF polymorphism in fear memory reconsolidation. Conclusions: Our findings suggest a new role for BDNF gene variation in fear memory reconsolidation in humans.

L'Encéphale, Jun 1, 2019

25 Hz, intensity of 60-80% of motor threshold, 40 series by 2 s with 14 s intervals-that may be c... more 25 Hz, intensity of 60-80% of motor threshold, 40 series by 2 s with 14 s intervals-that may be called "beta-bursts" mode, total 1600 pulses, 15 daily sessions) was applied to the projection of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Relatively low TMS intensity was chosen to prevent facial muscles jerks and to make the procedure more comfortable for patients. Results After 3 weeks of treatment both previously resistant groups demonstrated highly significant (P < 0.01; 0.001) improvement of clinical (by HDRS-17) and general conditions (by all 12 scales of SCL-90-R inventory), and of some impaired cognitive functions (by WCST and IGT tests). Significantly better improvement in TMS group in comparison to control group was obtained by SCL-90-R "present distress severity index" (P < 0.038), by "percent of perseveratory errors" in WCST test (P < 0.03), and by exceed of "good" choices above "bad" ones" in IGT test (P < 0.05), but not by HDRS-17. Conclusions Even low intensity high frequency rTMS of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex appeared to be useful method for overcoming the pharmaco-resistance and for improvement of decision-making functions in depressive patients. Disclosure of interest The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

<p>Mean of self-report ratings after the virtual chat-room experience for each group and st... more <p>Mean of self-report ratings after the virtual chat-room experience for each group and statistical results of comparison between groups (inclusion, exclusion).</p

Scientific surveys provide sufficient evidence that anxiety disorders are one of the most common ... more Scientific surveys provide sufficient evidence that anxiety disorders are one of the most common psy-chiatric disorders in the world. The lifetime prevalence rate of anxiety disorder is 28.8% (Kessler, et al., 2005). The most widely studied anxiety disorders are as follows panic disorder (PD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social phobia (or social anxiety disorder), specific phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). (NIMH Article, 2009). Classical conditioning is the stable paradigm used from the last one century to understand the neurobi-ology of fear learning. Neurobiological mechanism of fear learning is well documented with the condi-tioning studies. In the therapy of anxiety disorders, exposure based therapies are known to be the most effective approaches. Flooding is a form of exposure therapy in which a participant is exposed to the fear situation and kept in that situation until their fear dissipates. The exposure therapy ...

Universität Würzburg, 2013

Neuroscience & biobehavioral reviews/Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews, Jun 1, 2024

Routledge eBooks, May 31, 2024

Discover global society, Feb 27, 2024

This paper explores the scope of services and challenges in implementing Time Bank in India. This... more This paper explores the scope of services and challenges in implementing Time Bank in India. This community-based initiative allows people to exchange skills and services without the involvement of money. A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured telephone interviews with 20 participants aged 18 to 35. Thematic analysis revealed four major themes: Services, Challenges, and Limitations of Time Bank, Factors Affecting Help-Seeking Behavior, and Community and Gender Dynamics. Participants expressed interest in offering a wide range of services, from household tasks to professional services. However, challenges and limitations were also identified, such as a lack of awareness and understanding of the concept, social stigma, and concerns about trust, privacy, and safety issues. The study underscores the need to consider cultural and social factors while implementing community-based initiatives. Despite these challenges, participants believed Time Bank could be a valuable platform for building social connections and community support. The study's implications highlight the need for further research on the impact of Time Bank on social capital and the sustainability of the initiative in different cultural contexts.

PloS one, Feb 21, 2024

In several research studies, the reactivation extinction paradigm did not effectively prevent the... more In several research studies, the reactivation extinction paradigm did not effectively prevent the return of fear if administered without any intervention technique. Therefore, in this study, the authors hypothesized that playing music (high valence, low arousal) during the reconsolidation window may be a viable intervention technique for eliminating fear-related responses. A three-day auditory differential fear conditioning paradigm was used to establish fear conditioning. Participants were randomly assigned into three groups, i.e., one control group, standard extinction (SE), and two experimental groups, reactivation extinction Group (RE) and music reactivation extinction (MRE), of twenty participants in each group. Day 1 included the habituation and fear acquisition phases; on Day 2 (after 24 hours), the intervention was conducted, and re-extinction took place on Day 3. Skin conductance responses were used as the primary outcome measure. Results indicated that the MRE group was more effective in reducing fear response than the RE and SE groups in the reextinction phase. Furthermore, there was no significant difference observed between SE and RE groups. This is the first study known to demonstrate the effectiveness of music intervention in preventing the return of fear in a healthy individual. Therefore, it might also be employed as an intervention strategy (non-pharmacological approach) for military veterans, in emotion regulation, those diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, and those suffering from specific phobias.

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic stands as a global crisis that had severe repercussio... more The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic stands as a global crisis that had severe repercussions on health and society severely affecting mental health. Certain groups such as young adults were affected on a greater potency by the closure of educational institutes. Sudden social isolation and disconnectedness fueled affective and behavioral problems. In this paper, we discuss how COVID-19 has affected vulnerable undergraduate students in India. The responses were collected using standardized psychometric scales: Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7) and Centre for Epidemiological Studies−Depression (CES-D) for generalized anxiety and Depression respectively, (n = 1,038) from students pursuing bachelor's degrees from different universities in India. On comparing the means, we find clinical anxiousness and depressive symptoms among 18.2% (n = 189) and 25.3% (n = 263), respectively. It was found that there was an effect of gender on that led to increased anxiety and depression levels in higher education students. We also observed that the academic field in which they were enrolled such as STEM or non-STEM also had an effect on their mental health. Significant depression scores were found for seniors, juniors, and sophomores in comparison to freshmen, whereas for anxiety we found that seniors and juniors had higher levels in comparison to freshmen and sophomores. Regression analysis further predicted that increased anxiety was associated with individuals whose family or friends were diagnosed with COVID-19. Symptoms of depression were significantly low when people had regular interaction with friends and family and followed an active lifestyle. The study highlights the prevalence of severe anxiety and heightened depressive symptoms among students. A pattern of gender difference was observed emphasizing the effect of societal gender norms. Hence, the study finds that the young adult population of India requires immediate attention to formulate policies that can mitigate negative developments.

This paper explores the scope of services and challenges in implementing Time Bank in India. This... more This paper explores the scope of services and challenges in implementing Time Bank in India. This community-based initiative allows people to exchange skills and services without the involvement of money. A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured telephone interviews with 20 participants aged 18 to 35. Thematic analysis revealed four major themes: Services, Challenges and Limitations of Time Bank, Factors Affecting Help-Seeking Behavior, and Community and Gender Dynamics. Participants expressed interest in offering a wide range of services, from household tasks to professional services. However, challenges and limitations were also identified, such as a lack of awareness and understanding of the concept, social stigma, and concerns about trust, privacy, and safety issues. The study underscores the need to consider cultural and social factors while implementing community-based initiatives. Despite these challenges, participants believed Time Bank could be a valuable pla...

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

This paper explores memory from a cognitive neuroscience perspective and examines associated neur... more This paper explores memory from a cognitive neuroscience perspective and examines associated neural mechanisms. It examines the different types of memory: working, declarative, and non-declarative, and the brain regions involved in each type. The paper highlights the role of different brain regions, such as the prefrontal cortex in working memory and the hippocampus in declarative memory. The paper also examines the mechanisms that underlie the formation and consolidation of memory, including the importance of sleep in the consolidation of memory and the role of the hippocampus in linking new memories to existing cognitive schemata. The paper highlights two types of memory consolidation processes: cellular consolidation and system consolidation. Cellular consolidation is the process of stabilizing information by strengthening synaptic connections. System consolidation models suggest that memories are initially stored in the hippocampus and are gradually consolidated into the neocort...

European Journal of Engineering Education

Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems

Research Square (Research Square), May 28, 2024

Fear generalization plays a major role in the acquisition and maintenance of anxiety disorders. I... more Fear generalization plays a major role in the acquisition and maintenance of anxiety disorders. In fear generalization, conditioned fear responses are observed for novel stimuli sharing perceptually or conceptually similar properties with the conditioned stimulus (CS). The reinforcement levels of the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) impact fear acquisition and generalization. Fear generalization can be studied using the category-based conditioning paradigm, where individuals are conditioned to members of a category rather than a single stimulus. The current study explored the effect of UCS reinforcement (i.e., continuous and partial) on conceptual fear generalization due to category-based similarity using a visual aversive UCS. The CSs were exemplars from four categories, i.e., animals, insects, appliances, and mechanical tools. Thirty healthy participants underwent fear acquisition with exemplars from the four stimulus categories, presented with varying levels of UCS reinforcement (100%, 62.5%, and 37.5%). Subsequently, fear generalization was tested with novel unreinforced exemplars from each category. A signi cant effect of reinforcement on the UCS expectancy and CS-UCS contingency ratings was observed. UCS expectancy ratings increased with increasing certainty of UCS occurrence in the generalization phase. Our results may help to understand how fear generalizes to conceptually related stimuli based on the certainty of the UCS occurrence.

Current Psychology, Jul 9, 2019

Previous research has indicated that visual attention can be automatically captured by sensory in... more Previous research has indicated that visual attention can be automatically captured by sensory inputs that match the contents of visual working memory. Furthermore, the information in visual working memory can be used as a template of memory guidance for either the selection or rejection of visual attention. The current study investigated the memory-driven attentional processes in four experiments which extend and complement previous research. Participants performed a visual search task while maintaining items in visual working memory. Experiment 1 used an arrow as a pre-cue indicating which side of the screen the search target would appear on. Experiment 2 used two circles as pre-cues for the right-up/down location of the search target. Experiment 3 presented a memory-matching distractor for 300 ms followed by a blank screen. Experiment 4 presented a memory-matching distractor for 150 ms followed by the visual search task. All experiments resulted in significantly slower visual search reaction times (RTs) for the invalid condition (memory-matching distractor) compared to the neutral condition but with no significant differences in memory performance. This result suggests that the contents of working memory affect the deployment of attention in visual search. Our findings show that attentional capture occurs even within short periods of 150 ms, which demonstrates the robustness and speed of memory-driven attentional processes. Consequently, attentional capture appears to be initiated at an early phase of visual processing but can be strategically inhibited through cognitive control at later stages of analysis.

Neuroscience journal, Apr 17, 2013

Background. In order to prevent future errors, we constantly control our behavior for discrepanci... more Background. In order to prevent future errors, we constantly control our behavior for discrepancies between the expected (i.e., intended) and the real action outcome and continuously adjust our behavior accordingly. Neurophysiological correlates of this action-monitoring process can be studied with event-related potentials (error-related negativity (ERN) and error positivity (Pe)) originating from the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Patients with neuropsychiatric diseases often show performance monitoring dysfunctions potentially caused by pathological changes of cortical excitability; therefore, a modulation of the underlying neuronal activity might be a valuable therapeutic tool. One technique which allows us to explore cortical modulation of neural networks is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Therefore, we tested the effect of medial-prefrontal tDCS on error-monitoring potentials in 48 healthy subjects randomly assigned to anodal, cathodal, or sham stimulation. Results. We found that cathodal stimulation attenuated Pe amplitudes compared to both anodal and sham stimulation, but no effect for the ERN. Conclusions. Our results indicate that cathodal tDCS over the mPFC results in an attenuated cortical excitability leading to decreased Pe amplitudes. We therefore conclude that tDCS has a neuromodulatory effect on error-monitoring systems suggesting a future approach to modify the sensitivity of corresponding neural networks in patients with action-monitoring deficits.

Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2013

It has been shown that applying transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the dorsolate... more It has been shown that applying transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) influences declarative memory processes. This study investigates the efficacy of tDCS on emotional memory consolidation, especially experimental fear conditioning. We applied an auditory fear-conditioning paradigm, in which two differently colored squares (blue and yellow) were presented as conditioned stimuli (CS) and an auditory stimulus as unconditioned stimulus (UCS). Sixty-nine participants were randomly assigned into three groups: anodal, cathodal, and sham stimulation. The participants of the two active groups (i.e., anodal and cathodal) received tDCS over the left DLPFC for 12 min after fear conditioning. The effect of fear conditioning and consolidation (24 h later) was measured by assessing the skin conductance response (SCR) to the CS. The results provide evidence that cathodal stimulation of the left DLPFC leads to an inhibitory effect on fear memory consolidation compared to anodal and sham stimulation, as indicated by decreased SCRs to CS+ presentation during extinction training at day 2. In conclusion, current work suggests that cathodal stimulation interferes with processes of fear memory consolidation.

Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Sep 1, 2015

William's syndrome is a multifaceted, unique syndrome, in which patients develop notable hypersoc... more William's syndrome is a multifaceted, unique syndrome, in which patients develop notable hypersociability and neurocognitive characteristics. In humans, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can enhance or diminish cortical excitability, which can modulate social cognition and behavior. The present knowledge suggests the involvement of dysfunctional neural circuitry and abnormal cortical excitability in neurodevelopmental disorder. The insight of tDCS to influence cortical excitability via membrane polarization constitutes a main breakthrough in our understanding of the changes in the brain states. In recent past, neuromodulatory effects of tDCS with regard to fear have been encouraged targeting the learning and memory processes. Nevertheless, until today tDCS studies with respect to fear and anxiety disorder has been very restricted. Consequently, in the near future, it will require special attention and further exploration. In this article author would like to suggest the potential of using tDCS to counter social fear in William's syndrome.

Frontiers in Psychology, Jan 10, 2018

Past studies have found asymmetry biases in human emotion recognition. The left side bias refers ... more Past studies have found asymmetry biases in human emotion recognition. The left side bias refers to preferential looking at the left-hemiface when actively exploring face images. However, these studies have been mainly conducted with static and frontally oriented stimuli, whereas real-life emotion recognition takes place on dynamic faces viewed from different angles. The aim of this study was to assess the judgment of genuine vs. masked expressions in dynamic movie clips of faces rotated to the right or left side. Forty-eight participants judged the expressions on faces displaying genuine or masked happy, sad, and fearful emotions. The head of the actor was either rotated to the left by a 45 • angle, thus showing the left side of the face (standard orientation), or inverted, with the same face shown from the right side perspective. The eye movements were registered by the eye tracker and the data were analyzed for the inverse efficiency score (IES), the number of fixations, gaze time on the whole face and in the regions of interest. Results showed shorter IESs and gaze times for happy compared to sad and fearful emotions, but no difference was found for these variables between sad and fearful emotions. The left side preference was evident from comparisons of the number of fixations. Standard stimuli received a higher number of fixations than inverted ones. However, gaze time was long on inverted compared to standard faces. Number of fixations on exposed hemiface interacted with the emotions decreasing from happy to sad and fearful. An opposite pattern was found for the occluded hemiface. These results suggest a change in fixation patterns in the rotated faces that may be beneficial for the judgments of expressions. Furthermore, this study replicated the effects of the judgment of genuine and masked emotions using dynamic faces.

The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, Dec 30, 2015

Background: Memory reconsolidation is the direct effect of memory reactivation followed by stabil... more Background: Memory reconsolidation is the direct effect of memory reactivation followed by stabilization of newly synthesized proteins. It has been well proven that neural encoding of both newly and reactivated memories requires synaptic plasticity. Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been extensively investigated regarding its role in the formation of synaptic plasticity and in the alteration of fear memories. However, its role in fear reconsolidation is still unclear; hence, the current study has been designed to investigate the role of the BDNF val66met polymorphism (rs6265) in fear memory reconsolidation in humans. Methods: An auditory fear-conditioning paradigm was conducted, which comprised of three stages (acquisition, reactivation, and spontaneous recovery). One day after fear acquisition, the experimental group underwent reactivation of fear memory followed by the extinction training (reminder group), whereas the control group (non-reminder group) underwent only extinction training. On day 3, both groups were subjected to spontaneous recovery of earlier learned fearful memories. The treat-elicited defensive response due to conditioned threat was measured by assessing the skin conductance response to the conditioned stimulus. All participants were genotyped for rs6265. Results: The results indicate a diminishing effect of reminder on the persistence of fear memory only in the Met-allele carriers, suggesting a moderating effect of the BDNF polymorphism in fear memory reconsolidation. Conclusions: Our findings suggest a new role for BDNF gene variation in fear memory reconsolidation in humans.

L'Encéphale, Jun 1, 2019

25 Hz, intensity of 60-80% of motor threshold, 40 series by 2 s with 14 s intervals-that may be c... more 25 Hz, intensity of 60-80% of motor threshold, 40 series by 2 s with 14 s intervals-that may be called "beta-bursts" mode, total 1600 pulses, 15 daily sessions) was applied to the projection of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Relatively low TMS intensity was chosen to prevent facial muscles jerks and to make the procedure more comfortable for patients. Results After 3 weeks of treatment both previously resistant groups demonstrated highly significant (P < 0.01; 0.001) improvement of clinical (by HDRS-17) and general conditions (by all 12 scales of SCL-90-R inventory), and of some impaired cognitive functions (by WCST and IGT tests). Significantly better improvement in TMS group in comparison to control group was obtained by SCL-90-R "present distress severity index" (P < 0.038), by "percent of perseveratory errors" in WCST test (P < 0.03), and by exceed of "good" choices above "bad" ones" in IGT test (P < 0.05), but not by HDRS-17. Conclusions Even low intensity high frequency rTMS of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex appeared to be useful method for overcoming the pharmaco-resistance and for improvement of decision-making functions in depressive patients. Disclosure of interest The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

<p>Mean of self-report ratings after the virtual chat-room experience for each group and st... more <p>Mean of self-report ratings after the virtual chat-room experience for each group and statistical results of comparison between groups (inclusion, exclusion).</p

Scientific surveys provide sufficient evidence that anxiety disorders are one of the most common ... more Scientific surveys provide sufficient evidence that anxiety disorders are one of the most common psy-chiatric disorders in the world. The lifetime prevalence rate of anxiety disorder is 28.8% (Kessler, et al., 2005). The most widely studied anxiety disorders are as follows panic disorder (PD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social phobia (or social anxiety disorder), specific phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). (NIMH Article, 2009). Classical conditioning is the stable paradigm used from the last one century to understand the neurobi-ology of fear learning. Neurobiological mechanism of fear learning is well documented with the condi-tioning studies. In the therapy of anxiety disorders, exposure based therapies are known to be the most effective approaches. Flooding is a form of exposure therapy in which a participant is exposed to the fear situation and kept in that situation until their fear dissipates. The exposure therapy ...

Universität Würzburg, 2013

Neuroscience & biobehavioral reviews/Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews, Jun 1, 2024

Routledge eBooks, May 31, 2024

Discover global society, Feb 27, 2024

This paper explores the scope of services and challenges in implementing Time Bank in India. This... more This paper explores the scope of services and challenges in implementing Time Bank in India. This community-based initiative allows people to exchange skills and services without the involvement of money. A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured telephone interviews with 20 participants aged 18 to 35. Thematic analysis revealed four major themes: Services, Challenges, and Limitations of Time Bank, Factors Affecting Help-Seeking Behavior, and Community and Gender Dynamics. Participants expressed interest in offering a wide range of services, from household tasks to professional services. However, challenges and limitations were also identified, such as a lack of awareness and understanding of the concept, social stigma, and concerns about trust, privacy, and safety issues. The study underscores the need to consider cultural and social factors while implementing community-based initiatives. Despite these challenges, participants believed Time Bank could be a valuable platform for building social connections and community support. The study's implications highlight the need for further research on the impact of Time Bank on social capital and the sustainability of the initiative in different cultural contexts.

PloS one, Feb 21, 2024

In several research studies, the reactivation extinction paradigm did not effectively prevent the... more In several research studies, the reactivation extinction paradigm did not effectively prevent the return of fear if administered without any intervention technique. Therefore, in this study, the authors hypothesized that playing music (high valence, low arousal) during the reconsolidation window may be a viable intervention technique for eliminating fear-related responses. A three-day auditory differential fear conditioning paradigm was used to establish fear conditioning. Participants were randomly assigned into three groups, i.e., one control group, standard extinction (SE), and two experimental groups, reactivation extinction Group (RE) and music reactivation extinction (MRE), of twenty participants in each group. Day 1 included the habituation and fear acquisition phases; on Day 2 (after 24 hours), the intervention was conducted, and re-extinction took place on Day 3. Skin conductance responses were used as the primary outcome measure. Results indicated that the MRE group was more effective in reducing fear response than the RE and SE groups in the reextinction phase. Furthermore, there was no significant difference observed between SE and RE groups. This is the first study known to demonstrate the effectiveness of music intervention in preventing the return of fear in a healthy individual. Therefore, it might also be employed as an intervention strategy (non-pharmacological approach) for military veterans, in emotion regulation, those diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, and those suffering from specific phobias.

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic stands as a global crisis that had severe repercussio... more The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic stands as a global crisis that had severe repercussions on health and society severely affecting mental health. Certain groups such as young adults were affected on a greater potency by the closure of educational institutes. Sudden social isolation and disconnectedness fueled affective and behavioral problems. In this paper, we discuss how COVID-19 has affected vulnerable undergraduate students in India. The responses were collected using standardized psychometric scales: Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7) and Centre for Epidemiological Studies−Depression (CES-D) for generalized anxiety and Depression respectively, (n = 1,038) from students pursuing bachelor's degrees from different universities in India. On comparing the means, we find clinical anxiousness and depressive symptoms among 18.2% (n = 189) and 25.3% (n = 263), respectively. It was found that there was an effect of gender on that led to increased anxiety and depression levels in higher education students. We also observed that the academic field in which they were enrolled such as STEM or non-STEM also had an effect on their mental health. Significant depression scores were found for seniors, juniors, and sophomores in comparison to freshmen, whereas for anxiety we found that seniors and juniors had higher levels in comparison to freshmen and sophomores. Regression analysis further predicted that increased anxiety was associated with individuals whose family or friends were diagnosed with COVID-19. Symptoms of depression were significantly low when people had regular interaction with friends and family and followed an active lifestyle. The study highlights the prevalence of severe anxiety and heightened depressive symptoms among students. A pattern of gender difference was observed emphasizing the effect of societal gender norms. Hence, the study finds that the young adult population of India requires immediate attention to formulate policies that can mitigate negative developments.

This paper explores the scope of services and challenges in implementing Time Bank in India. This... more This paper explores the scope of services and challenges in implementing Time Bank in India. This community-based initiative allows people to exchange skills and services without the involvement of money. A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured telephone interviews with 20 participants aged 18 to 35. Thematic analysis revealed four major themes: Services, Challenges and Limitations of Time Bank, Factors Affecting Help-Seeking Behavior, and Community and Gender Dynamics. Participants expressed interest in offering a wide range of services, from household tasks to professional services. However, challenges and limitations were also identified, such as a lack of awareness and understanding of the concept, social stigma, and concerns about trust, privacy, and safety issues. The study underscores the need to consider cultural and social factors while implementing community-based initiatives. Despite these challenges, participants believed Time Bank could be a valuable pla...

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

This paper explores memory from a cognitive neuroscience perspective and examines associated neur... more This paper explores memory from a cognitive neuroscience perspective and examines associated neural mechanisms. It examines the different types of memory: working, declarative, and non-declarative, and the brain regions involved in each type. The paper highlights the role of different brain regions, such as the prefrontal cortex in working memory and the hippocampus in declarative memory. The paper also examines the mechanisms that underlie the formation and consolidation of memory, including the importance of sleep in the consolidation of memory and the role of the hippocampus in linking new memories to existing cognitive schemata. The paper highlights two types of memory consolidation processes: cellular consolidation and system consolidation. Cellular consolidation is the process of stabilizing information by strengthening synaptic connections. System consolidation models suggest that memories are initially stored in the hippocampus and are gradually consolidated into the neocort...

European Journal of Engineering Education