PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Maren Klingelhöfer-Jens
AU  - Mana R. Ehlers
AU  - Manuel Kuhn
AU  - Vincent Keyaniyan
AU  - Tina B. Lonsdorf
TI  - Robust group- but limited individual-level (longitudinal) reliability and insights into cross-phases response prediction of conditioned fear
AID  - 10.1101/2022.03.15.484434
DP  - 2022 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 2022.03.15.484434
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/03/18/2022.03.15.484434.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/03/18/2022.03.15.484434.full
AB  - Here we follow the call to target measurement reliability as a key prerequisite for individual-level predictions in translational neuroscience by investigating i) longitudinal reliability at the individual and ii) group level, iii) cross-sectional reliability and iv) response predictability across experimental phases. 120 individuals performed a fear conditioning paradigm twice six month apart. Analyses of skin conductance responses, fear ratings and BOLD-fMRI with different data transformations and included numbers of trials were conducted. While longitudinal reliability was generally poor to moderate at the individual level, it was good for acquisition but not extinction at the group-level. Cross-sectional reliability was satisfactory. Higher responding in preceding phases predicted higher responding in subsequent experimental phases at a weak to moderate level depending on data specifications. In sum, the results suggest the feasibility of individual-level predictions for (very) short time intervals (e.g., cross-phases) while predictions for longer time intervals may be problematic.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.