Over the course of their lives, humans can sometimes acquire fear responses to specific stimuli, animals, objects or situations, typically following adverse experiences or traumatic events.

Unlearning fear responses is a fundamental learning process in the brain. It allows us to flexibly react to formerly threatening situations once the danger is no longer present. This mechanism, known ...

A new study shows how a dopamine circuit between two brain regions enables mice to extinguish fear after a peril has passed. Dangers come but dangers also go and when they do, the brain has an ...

Suppression of fear-related memories after unpleasant experiences is very critical for adaptive behavior, as it allows one to inhibit responses that could lead to psychiatric problems such as anxiety ...

Dangers come but dangers also go and when they do, the brain has an “all-clear” signal that teaches it to extinguish its fear. A new study in mice by MIT neuroscientists shows that the signal is the ...