Exploring Differences in Fear Conditioning in PTSD

Abstract

In order to study potential dysfunction in the fear conditioning process that could lead some to develop PTSD after a traumatic experience, physiological fear was assessed through measurement of the skin conductance responses of 12 combat-exposed Caucasian male veterans (ages 25-46) during a fear conditioning task involving different colored lights (the conditioned stimuli) and an electric pulse (the unconditioned stimulus).