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Vagus Nerve Stimulation Enhances Extinction of Fear Conditioning in Rats

Vagus Nerve Stimulation Enhances Extinction of Fear Conditioning in Rats. Christa McIntyre University of Texas at Dallas December 3, 2010. Army Medic Joseph Dwyer carrying 4-year-old wounded Iraqi Ali Sattar . Warren Zinn photographer (2003). Current Therapies.

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Vagus Nerve Stimulation Enhances Extinction of Fear Conditioning in Rats

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  1. Vagus Nerve Stimulation Enhances Extinction of Fear Conditioning in Rats Christa McIntyre University of Texas at Dallas December 3, 2010 Army Medic Joseph Dwyer carrying 4-year-old wounded Iraqi Ali Sattar. Warren Zinn photographer (2003)

  2. Current Therapies • Exposure therapy: train patient to make new associations with stressful stimuli • Impaired ability to extinguish memories in PTSD • Drugs • antidepressants and benzodiazepines • Clinical trials • D-cycloserine • Ideal treatment would reduce anxiety and promote formation of new memory.

  3. Emotional Disturbance Memory Enhancement FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE Noradrenalin in the amygdala Activation of ß Receptors Vagus nerve Adrenal gland Rest and Digest Kidney Release of adrenalin and glucocorticoids

  4. Vagus Nerve Stimulation • Surgery • A platinum electrode cuff is implanted on the vagus nerve. • Electrode is connected to head implant. • Short circuit in head implant of sham controls. • Stimulation • 0.4 mA balanced biphasic 0.5 ms pulse width, 20 Hz, lasting 30 sec. • OR - 9 volt exponential pulses lasting 30 sec.

  5. Fear Potentiated Startle Experimental Timeline Habituation Fear Conditioning Test VNS Test

  6. Vagus Nerve Stimulation Enhances Extinction of Fear Potentiated Startle (n=6) (n=4)

  7. Auditory Fear Conditioning Experimental Timeline Habituation Fear Conditioning Test VNS Test

  8. Vagus Nerve Stimulation Enhances Extinction of Auditory Fear Conditioning (n=10) (n=9) % Freezing

  9. Vagus Nerve Stimulation Accelerates Extinction of Conditioned Fear

  10. Conclusions • VNS paired with extinction is more effective than extinction alone. • VNS pairing produces more rapid extinction. • VNS can be paired with exposure therapy in treatment of: • Posttraumatic stress disorder • Phobia • Obsessive compulsive disorder • Addiction

  11. Acknowledgements • David Pena • Samuel McAfee • Navzer Engineer • NIMH • Microtransponder Inc.

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