Startle Modification: Implications for Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, and Clinical Science / Edition 1

by Michael E. Dawson, Anne M. Schell, Andreas H. Bohmelt

Overview

The startle response (as a result of a sudden, loud noise, for instance) is a reflex that is wired into the brain at a very basic level. Although everybody will exhibit such a reflex, the strength and quickness of the startle response is modified by a subject's underlying psychoneurological state. Therefore, the nature of this modification is now seen as an accurate, objective measure of very deep neurological processes. This book is the first comprehensive volume devoted to startle modification. It offers a unique overview of the methods, measurement, physiology, and psychology of the phenomenon, particularly modification of the human startle eyeblink. Many of the world's leading investigators in the field have made contributions to this volume. Coverage includes elicitation and recording of startle blink; issues in measurement and quantification; the neurophysiological basis of the basic startle response and its modification by attentional and affective processes; psychological processes underlying short and long lead interval modification (including prepulse inhibition); applications of startle modification to the study of psychopathology, including schizophrenia, affective disorders, and psychopathy and developmental processes; and relationships with ERPs and behavioral measures of information processing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521580465
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	03/28/1999
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Dawson, Michael E. (USC); Schell, Anne M. (Occidental College); Bohmelt, Andreas H. (Univ of Trier)

Table of Contents

List of contributors; Preface; Prologue Howard S. Hoffman; Part I. Basic Paradigms, Methods and Phenomena: 1. Startle modification: introduction and overview Michael E. Dawson, Anne M. Schell and Andreas H. Boehmëlt; 2. Startle elicitation: stimulus parameters, recording techniques, and quantification W. Keith Berg and Marie T. Balaban; 3. Short lead interval modification Terry D. Blumenthal; 4. Startle modification at long lead intervals Lois E. Putnam and Eric J. Vanman; Part II. Physiological Mediation of Startle Modification: 5. Neurophysiology and neuropharmacology of startle modification and its affective modification Michael Davis, David L. Walker and Younglim Lee; 6. Neurophysiology and neuropharmacology of short lead interval startle modification Neal Swerdlow and Mark A. Geyer; Part III. Psychological Mediation of Startle Modification: 7. Blink reflex studies of attention and consciousness Steven Hackley; 8. Affect and the startle reflex: motivation in perception Margaret M. Bradley, Bruce N. Cuthbert and Peter J. Lang; Part IV. Individual Differences and Startle Modification: 9. Affective individual differences, psychopathology, and startle reflex modification Edwin W. Cook; 10. Psychopathic traits and intoxicated states: affective concomitants and conceptual links Christopher J. Patrick and Alan R. Lang; 11. Schizophrenia spectrum disorders Kristin S. Cadenhead and David L. Braff; 12. Startle modification in children and developmental effects Edward M. Ornitz; Part V. Relationships with Other Paradigms and Measures: 13. Behavioral correlates of startle inhibition Diane L. Filion, Kimberle A. Kelly and Erin A. Hazlett; 14. Event related potential (ERP) components and startle Judith M. Ford and Walton T. Roth; 15. Startle modification during orienting and Pavlovian conditioning Ottmar Lipp and David Siddle; References; Index.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Michael Schrift, DO (University of Washington School of Medicine)
Description: This is an exceptional book devoted exclusively to startle modification, a measure to help in the elucidation of normal and abnormal states. Written and edited by internationally recognized experts in the field, this book is a valuable contribution to psychiatry, neurology, neuropsychiatry, and psychology.
Purpose: The purpose, according to the editors, is to provide a comprehensive book devoted solely to the modification of the human eyeblink reflex. The startle reflex and its modification offer, according to the editors, the potential to expose and clarify a number of important issues across diverse areas of psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience. Also, the editors want to introduce the startle modification paradigm and the possibilities the technique can offer to investigators of different disciplines.
Audience: The intended audience is researchers in psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience, and graduate students interested in psychophysiology.
Features: Topics covered include an introduction and overview, basic paradigms, methods, phenomena, neurophysiological and neuropharmacological aspects of startle modification, implications for theories of attention and concentration, affect and the startle reflex, the startle modification related to affect, psychopathic traits and intoxicated states, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and developmental aspects of startle modification. In addition, there are chapters on behavioral analogies of startle inhibition, event-related potentials and startle, and startle modification during orienting and Pavlovian conditioning. There are up-to-date- references and helpful index sections.
Assessment: This is a valuable and comprehensive new book in which the state of knowledge of the research paradigm of startle modification is summarized. Researchers who work in psychophysiology should read and refer to this book.

Doody's Review Service

"In summary, this book succeeds because it is one of the first texts to comprehensively review this newly emergent and important research area...I look forward to a second edition in a few years time that could deservedly be called a Handbook of Startle Modification. Contemporary Psychology

"This is a valuable and comprehensive new book in which the state of knowledge of the research paradigm of startle modification is summarized. Researchers who work in psychophysiology should read and refer to this book." Doody Publishing, Inc.

"...this book succeeds because it is one of the first texts to comprehensively review this newly emergent and important research area. It provides an excellent starting point for both the graduate student and experienced researcher wishing to incorporate startle modification procedures in to their work...I strongly urge researchers interested in the interrelationships between attentional and affective processes but who have not explored the startle modification paradigm, to acquire a copy of this book to immerse themselves into this fascinating area of study." Contemporary Psychology, APA Review of Books

From the Publisher

3 Stars from Doody

This is an exceptional book devoted exclusively to startle modification, a measure to help in the elucidation of normal and abnormal states. Written and edited by internationally recognized experts in the field, this book is a valuable contribution to psychiatry, neurology, neuropsychiatry, and psychology. The purpose, according to the editors, is to provide a comprehensive book devoted solely to the modification of the human eyeblink reflex. The startle reflex and its modification offer, according to the editors, the potential to expose and clarify a number of important issues across diverse areas of psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience. Also, the editors want to introduce the startle modification paradigm and the possibilities the technique can offer to investigators of different disciplines. The intended audience is researchers in psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience, and graduate students interested in psychophysiology. Topics covered include an introduction and overview, basic paradigms, methods, phenomena, neurophysiological and neuropharmacological aspects of startle modification, implications for theories of attention and concentration, affect and the startle reflex, the startle modification related to affect, psychopathic traits and intoxicated states, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and developmental aspects of startle modification. In addition, there are chapters on behavioral analogies of startle inhibition, event-related potentials and startle, and startle modification during orienting and Pavlovian conditioning. There are up-to-date- references and helpful index sections. This is a valuable and comprehensive new book in which the state of knowledge of theresearch paradigm of startle modification is summarized. Researchers who work in psychophysiology should read and refer to this book.

Michael J. Schrift