Freezing responses in borderline patients with and without comorbid PTSD:
An experimental study

Behavioural inhibition and freezing are important threat responses and seem to
play a role in the aetiology of trauma-related disorders. However, most studies
focus on animal freezing and little research has done on human freezing.
Recently, several studies were able to elicit and assess freezing responses in
humans. These studies revealed: 1) a crucial role for heart rate, and 2)
differences between traumatised and non-traumatised participants. It is of
great importance to investigate freezing in clinical trauma-related populations
(PTSD). Borderline patients are also an interesting group as they are
characterised by impulsive behaviour, which could lead to disfunctional
freezing responses.

Examining freezing in response to aversive stimuli in two specifieke clinical
populations: borderline patients with and without comorbid PTSD. This will
provide new insights in the role of freezing in the development and maintenance
of these disorders. This has primarily a scientific and fundamental purpose but
this knowledge can later be used to optimise the treatment of trauma-related
disorders.

An experiment with a within-subjects (aversive, positive and neutral stimuli)
and between-subjects (borderline with and without PTSD and healthy controls)
design will be executed in order to test acute responses to distinct emotional
stimuli. The second task (a reaction time task) has the same purpose.

The main burdan for the participants is the use of aversive stimuli (such as
*bloody* and frightening pictures and film fragments). Except for a
contribution to scientific knowledge and optimalisation of future treatments,
there are no personal benefits for the participants.