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Sex, stress, and fear: individual differences in conditioned learning.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Zorawski, M; Cook, CA; Kuhn, CM; LaBar, KS
Published in: Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci
June 2005

It has long been recognized that humans vary in their conditionability, yet the factors that contribute to individual variation in emotional learning remain to be delineated. The goal of the present study was to investigate the relationship among sex, stress hormones, and fear conditioning in humans. Forty-five healthy adults (22 females) underwent differential delay conditioning, using fear-relevant conditioned stimuli and a shock unconditioned stimulus. Salivary cortisol samples were taken at baseline and after acquisition training and a 24-h-delayed retention test. The results showed that acquisition of conditioning significantly correlated with postacquisition cortisol levels in males, but not in females. This sex-specific relationship was found despite similar overall levels of conditioning, unconditioned responding, and cortisol. There was no effect of postacquisition cortisol on consolidation of fear learning in either sex. These findings have implications for the understanding of individual differences in fear acquisition and risk factors for the development of affective disorders.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci

DOI

ISSN

1530-7026

Publication Date

June 2005

Volume

5

Issue

2

Start / End Page

191 / 201

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Time Factors
  • Stress, Physiological
  • Sex Characteristics
  • Male
  • Learning
  • Individuality
  • Hydrocortisone
  • Humans
  • Galvanic Skin Response
  • Female
 

Citation

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Zorawski, M., Cook, C. A., Kuhn, C. M., & LaBar, K. S. (2005). Sex, stress, and fear: individual differences in conditioned learning. Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci, 5(2), 191–201. https://doi.org/10.3758/cabn.5.2.191
Zorawski, Michael, Craig A. Cook, Cynthia M. Kuhn, and Kevin S. LaBar. “Sex, stress, and fear: individual differences in conditioned learning.Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci 5, no. 2 (June 2005): 191–201. https://doi.org/10.3758/cabn.5.2.191.
Zorawski M, Cook CA, Kuhn CM, LaBar KS. Sex, stress, and fear: individual differences in conditioned learning. Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci. 2005 Jun;5(2):191–201.
Zorawski, Michael, et al. “Sex, stress, and fear: individual differences in conditioned learning.Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci, vol. 5, no. 2, June 2005, pp. 191–201. Pubmed, doi:10.3758/cabn.5.2.191.
Zorawski M, Cook CA, Kuhn CM, LaBar KS. Sex, stress, and fear: individual differences in conditioned learning. Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci. 2005 Jun;5(2):191–201.
Journal cover image

Published In

Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci

DOI

ISSN

1530-7026

Publication Date

June 2005

Volume

5

Issue

2

Start / End Page

191 / 201

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Time Factors
  • Stress, Physiological
  • Sex Characteristics
  • Male
  • Learning
  • Individuality
  • Hydrocortisone
  • Humans
  • Galvanic Skin Response
  • Female