Fear of heights: cognitive performance and postural control

Author(s)

Boffino, Catarina C. ^{[1, 2]} ; Cardoso de Sa, Cristina S. ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; Gorenstein, Clarice ^{[1, 2]} ; Brown, Richard G. ^[4] ; Basile, Luis F. H. ^{[1, 2, 5]} ; Ramos, Renato T. ^{[1, 2, 6, 5]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, LIM 23, Inst Psychiat, BR-05403010 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Div Neurosurg, BR-05403010 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Municipal, Sao Caetano do Sul - Brazil

^[4] Kings Coll London, Dept Psychol, London WC2R 2LS - England

^[5] Univ Metodista Sao Paulo, Fac Psicol & Fonoaudiol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[6] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, LIM 23, Dept Psychiat, BR-05403010 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: EUROPEAN ARCHIVES OF PSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE; v. 259, n. 2, p. 114-119, FEB 2009.
• Web of Science Citations: 19

Abstract

Fear of heights, or acrophobia, is one of the most frequent subtypes of specific phobia frequently associated to depression and other anxiety disorders. Previous evidence suggests a correlation between acrophobia and abnormalities in balance control, particularly involving the use of visual information to keep postural stability. This study investigates the hypotheses that (1) abnormalities in balance control are more frequent in individuals with acrophobia even when not exposed to heights, that (2) acrophobic symptoms are associated to abnormalities in visual perception of movement; and that (3) individuals with acrophobia are more sensitive to balance-cognition interactions. Thirty-one individuals with specific phobia of heights and thirty one non-phobic controls were compared using dynamic posturography and a manual tracking task. Acrophobics had poorer performance in both tasks, especially when carried out simultaneously. Previously described interference between posture control and cognitive activity seems to play a major role in these individuals. The presence of physiologic abnormalities is compatible with the hypothesis of a non-associative acquisition of fear of heights, i.e., not associated to previous traumatic events or other learning experiences. Clinically, this preliminary study corroborates the hypothesis that vestibular physical therapy can be particularly useful in treating individuals with fear of heights. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 01/00189-9 - A psychobiological study of emotional regulation based on the effects of antidepressant drugs
• Grantee: Valentim Gentil Filho
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants