Structural and behavioural differences between

The State Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger et al., 1983) served to form two groups, one high and one low in trait-anxiety (fig. 1a). An associative statistical word-learning (training) was applied to investigate the development of memory bias for negatively arousing stimuli. Within this framework, 60 neutral word stimuli (e.g. binu) were linked with negative arousing colour i ( l i ) (fi 1b) T h k f bi i li i l emot ona st mu e.g. P e ps, . Here, we are ocus ng on t e earn ng-process, memoryconsolidation and the associated neural fibre-connections in individuals with elevated traitanxiety. These people are especially prone to develop anxiety-disorders and differ from people with reduced or average trait-anxiety with regard to the processing, evaluation and memory of threat-related stimulus-material (McCabe, 1999; Russo et al, 2006; Mitte, 2008). e some aut ors strong y support t e ex stence o a memory as, ot ers ame n ngs on unpropitious experimental designs or insufficient criterions (Russo et al 1999). It is the intent of this study to finally clarify if subclinical high and low individuals significantly differ from each other or not. To achieve this, shortcomings of earlier studies are addressed, circumvented and behavioural testing is combined with a state-of-the art imaging technique.