FEAR-POTENTIATED STARTLE IN ADOLESCENT OFFSPRING OF PARENTS WITH ANXIETY DISORDERS

Background: The startle reflex and its potentiation by aversive states was used as a possible vulnerability marker for anxiety disorders in adolescent offspring of parents with this condition. Methods: The part icipants were 39 low-risk adolescents (16 male/23 female) with a paren tal history of no psychiatric disorder and 35 high-risk adolescents (1 8 male/17 female) with a parental history of anxiety disorders. The ma gnitude of startle was examined at baseline and during anticipation of an aversive stimulus (fear-potentiated startle). Results: Startle was found to discriminate between children at high and low risk for anxie ty disorders; however, different abnormalities for high-risk male and female subjects were observed. Startle levels, overall, were elevated among high-risk female subjects, whereas high-risk male subjects exhib ited greater magnitude of startle potentiation during aversive anticip ation. Conclusions: Startle reactivity may serve as a vulnerability ma rker for the development of anxiety disorders. With its basic groundin g in animal and human behavioral research, startle may enhance our und erstanding of the underlying neurobiological bases of human anxiety st ates. (C) 1998 Society of Biological Psychiatry.