Objective

Pharmacologic and behavioral interventions that block reconsolidation of reactivated fear memory have demonstrated only limited success in modifying stronger and long-standing fear memories. Given the efficacy of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in treating PTSD, pursuit eye movements are a promising and novel intervention for studies of human memory reconsolidation. Here, we examined the efficacy of pursuit eye movements in interfering with reconsolidation of conditioned fear memories.

Methods

We conducted a 3-day differential Pavlovian fear conditioning procedure in healthy adults, using videos of biologically prepared stimuli (tarantulas), partly reinforced with electrical shocks while recording skin conductance response (SCR) as a measure of autonomic conditioned responses. Fear conditioning was performed on Day 1. On Day 2, 38 participants were randomized into groups performing pursuit eye movements either immediately after fear memory reactivation, when the fear memory was stable, or 10 min later, when the fear memory was assumed to be more labile. On Day 3, fear memory strength was assessed by SCR to both reactivated and nonreactivated fear memories.

Results

Strong differential conditioning to the spider stimuli were observed during both fear acquisition and fear memory reactivation. Reactivated fear memory conditioned responses of participants performing pursuit eye movements after a 10-min delay were significantly smaller in the reinstatement phase (0.16 μS; 95% CI [0.02, 0.31]).

Conclusions

Pursuit eye movements were effective in reducing fear-conditioned SCR in reinstatement. This result supports the theoretical proposition that EMDR can interfere with reactivated fear memory reconsolidation.

中文翻译：

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通过眼动脱敏和再加工干扰恐惧记忆

客观的

阻止重新激活的恐惧记忆重新巩固的药物和行为干预措施在修改更强烈和长期存在的恐惧记忆方面取得的成功有限。鉴于眼动脱敏和再处理 (EMDR) 在治疗 PTSD 方面的功效，追踪眼动是人类记忆再巩固研究的一种有前途的新颖干预措施。在这里，我们检查了追踪眼球运动在干扰条件恐惧记忆的重新巩固方面的功效。

方法

我们对健康成年人进行了为期 3 天的差分巴甫洛夫恐惧条件反射程序，使用生物制备刺激（狼蛛）的视频，部分通过电击加强，同时记录皮肤电导反应 (SCR) 作为自主条件反应的衡量标准。在第 1 天进行恐惧条件反射。在第 2 天，38 名参与者被随机分组​​，在恐惧记忆重新激活后立即（当恐惧记忆稳定时）或 10 分钟后（假设恐惧记忆更多时）进行追踪眼球运动不稳定。在第 3 天，恐惧记忆强度由 SCR 评估为重新激活和未重新激活的恐惧记忆。

结果

在恐惧获取和恐惧记忆重新激活期间，观察到对蜘蛛刺激的强烈差异调节。在恢复阶段（0.16 μS；95% CI [0.02, 0.31]），延迟 10 分钟后执行追踪眼球运动的参与者重新激活的恐惧记忆条件反应明显更小。

结论

追踪眼球运动可有效减少恢复时的恐惧条件 SCR。这一结果支持了 EMDR 可以干扰重新激活的恐惧记忆重新巩固的理论命题。