Learning and memory consolidation processes of attention-bias modification in anxious and nonanxious individuals

Recent evidence suggests that attention-bias-modification (ABM) procedures may reduce anxiety via computerized attention-training tasks. However, the mechanisms underlying the modification of attention patterns in anxiety remain largely unexplored. Here, we compared anxious and nonanxious participants in terms of learning and memory consolidation effects associated with training to attend either toward or away from threat. When trained to attend away from threat, the primary training condition in ABM treatment, anxious participants demonstrated impaired within-session learning. In contrast, consolidation of threat-related learning did not vary as a function of anxiety. These findings suggest that anxious participants have a selective difficulty in altering their threat-related attention patterns during ABM. This specific deficit could explain inconsistent findings in the ABM research base, as well as elucidate potential targets for optimizing ABM protocols in the treatment of anxiety.