Brunner, Lisa-Marie and Maurer, Franziska and Weber, Kevin and Weigl, Johannes and Milenkovic, Vladimir M. and Rupprecht, Rainer and Nothdurfter, Caroline and Muehlberger, Andreas (2022) Differential effects of the translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO) ligand etifoxine and the benzodiazepine alprazolam on startle response to predictable threat in a NPU-threat task after acute and short-term treatment. PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY, 239 (7). pp. 2233-2244. ISSN 0033-3158, 1432-2072
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Rationale Benzodiazepines have been extensively investigated in experimental settings especially after single administration, which mostly revealed effects on unpredictable threat (U-threat) rather than predictable threat (P-threat). Given the need for pharmacological alternatives with a preferable side-effect profile and to better represent clinical conditions, research should cover also other anxiolytics and longer application times. Objectives The present study compared the acute and short-term effects of the translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO) ligand etifoxine and the benzodiazepine alprazolam on P-threat and U-threat while controlling for sedation. Methods Sixty healthy male volunteers, aged between 18 and 55 years, were randomly assigned to receive a daily dose of either 150 mg etifoxine, 1.5 mg alprazolam, or placebo for 5 days. On days 1 and 5 of intake, they performed a NPU-threat task including neutral (N), predictable (P), and unpredictable (U) conditions, while startle responsivity and self-reports were studied. Sedative effects were assessed using a continuous performance test. Results Neither alprazolam nor etifoxine affected startle responsivity to U-threat on any of the testing days. While etifoxine reduced the startle response to P-threat on day 1 of treatment for transformed data, a contrary effect of alprazolam was found for raw values. No effects on self-reports and no evidence of sedation could be observed for either drug. Conclusions None of the anxiolytic substances had an impact on startle potentiation to U-threat even after several days of intake. The effects of the anxiolytics on startle responsivity to P-threat as well as implications for future studies are discussed.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | FEAR-POTENTIATED STARTLE; ADULT SEPARATION ANXIETY; ADJUSTMENT DISORDER; GABA(A) RECEPTORS; GERMAN VERSION; HUMANS; STRESS; POLYMORPHISM; SENSITIVITY; LORAZEPAM; GABA(A) receptor; Translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO); NPU-threat task; Predictable threat; Unpredictable threat; Etifoxine; Alprazolam |
| Subjects: | 600 Technology > 610 Medical sciences Medicine |
| Divisions: | Medicine > Lehrstuhl für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie |
| Depositing User: | Dr. Gernot Deinzer |
| Date Deposited: | 29 Jan 2024 10:24 |
| Last Modified: | 29 Jan 2024 12:40 |
| URI: | https://pred.uni-regensburg.de/id/eprint/56557 |
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