2016 |
Golkar, A; Haaker, J; Selbing, I; Olsson, A Neural signals of vicarious extinction learning Journal Article Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 11 (10), pp. 1541-1549, 2016. Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Amygdala, Extinction, Obsfear procedure, Social learning, Vicarious learning, vmPFC @article{Golkar2016, title = {Neural signals of vicarious extinction learning}, author = {A Golkar and J Haaker and I Selbing and A Olsson}, url = {http://www.emotionlab.se/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Armita_SCAN_authorscopy.pdf}, doi = {10.1093/scan/nsw068}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-02-13}, journal = {Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience}, volume = {11}, number = {10}, pages = {1541-1549}, abstract = {Social transmission of both threat and safety is ubiquitous, but little is known about the neural circuitry underlying vicarious safety learning. This is surprising given that these processes are critical to flexibly adapt to a changeable environment. To address how the expression of previously learned fears can be modified by the transmission of social information, two conditioned stimuli (CS + s) were paired with shock and the third was not. During extinction, we held constant the amount of direct, non-reinforced, exposure to the CSs (i.e. direct extinction), and critically varied whether another individual-acting as a demonstrator-experienced safety (CS + vic safety) or aversive reinforcement (CS + vic reinf). During extinction, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) responses to the CS + vic reinf increased but decreased to the CS + vic safety This pattern of vmPFC activity was reversed during a subsequent fear reinstatement test, suggesting a temporal shift in the involvement of the vmPFC. Moreover, only the CS + vic reinf association recovered. Our data suggest that vicarious extinction prevents the return of conditioned fear responses, and that this efficacy is reflected by diminished vmPFC involvement during extinction learning. The present findings may have important implications for understanding how social information influences the persistence of fear memories in individuals suffering from emotional disorders.}, keywords = {Amygdala, Extinction, Obsfear procedure, Social learning, Vicarious learning, vmPFC}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Social transmission of both threat and safety is ubiquitous, but little is known about the neural circuitry underlying vicarious safety learning. This is surprising given that these processes are critical to flexibly adapt to a changeable environment. To address how the expression of previously learned fears can be modified by the transmission of social information, two conditioned stimuli (CS + s) were paired with shock and the third was not. During extinction, we held constant the amount of direct, non-reinforced, exposure to the CSs (i.e. direct extinction), and critically varied whether another individual-acting as a demonstrator-experienced safety (CS + vic safety) or aversive reinforcement (CS + vic reinf). During extinction, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) responses to the CS + vic reinf increased but decreased to the CS + vic safety This pattern of vmPFC activity was reversed during a subsequent fear reinstatement test, suggesting a temporal shift in the involvement of the vmPFC. Moreover, only the CS + vic reinf association recovered. Our data suggest that vicarious extinction prevents the return of conditioned fear responses, and that this efficacy is reflected by diminished vmPFC involvement during extinction learning. The present findings may have important implications for understanding how social information influences the persistence of fear memories in individuals suffering from emotional disorders. |
2013 |
Golkar, A; Selbing, I; Flygare, O; Öhman, A; Olsson, A Other people as means to a safe end Journal Article Psychological Science, 24 (11), pp. 2182-2190, 2013. Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Emotion, Extinction, Fear, Learning, Observational learning, Obsfear procedure, Reinstatement, Social cognition, Vicarious learning @article{Golkar2013, title = {Other people as means to a safe end}, author = {A Golkar and I Selbing and O Flygare and A \"{O}hman and A Olsson}, url = {http://www.emotionlab.se/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Golkar2013.pdf}, doi = {10.1177/0956797613489890}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-09-10}, journal = {Psychological Science}, volume = {24}, number = {11}, pages = {2182-2190}, abstract = {Information about what is dangerous and safe in the environment is often transferred from other individuals through social forms of learning, such as observation. Past research has focused on the observational, or vicarious, acquisition of fears, but little is known about how social information can promote safety learning. To address this issue, we studied the effects of vicarious-extinction learning on the recovery of conditioned fear. Compared with a standard extinction procedure, vicarious extinction promoted better extinction and effectively blocked the return of previously learned fear. We confirmed that these effects could not be attributed to the presence of a learning model per se but were specifically driven by the model’s experience of safety. Our results confirm that vicarious and direct emotional learning share important characteristics but that social-safety information promotes superior down-regulation of learned fear. These findings have implications for emotional learning, social-affective processes, and clinical practice.}, keywords = {Emotion, Extinction, Fear, Learning, Observational learning, Obsfear procedure, Reinstatement, Social cognition, Vicarious learning}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Information about what is dangerous and safe in the environment is often transferred from other individuals through social forms of learning, such as observation. Past research has focused on the observational, or vicarious, acquisition of fears, but little is known about how social information can promote safety learning. To address this issue, we studied the effects of vicarious-extinction learning on the recovery of conditioned fear. Compared with a standard extinction procedure, vicarious extinction promoted better extinction and effectively blocked the return of previously learned fear. We confirmed that these effects could not be attributed to the presence of a learning model per se but were specifically driven by the model’s experience of safety. Our results confirm that vicarious and direct emotional learning share important characteristics but that social-safety information promotes superior down-regulation of learned fear. These findings have implications for emotional learning, social-affective processes, and clinical practice. |
2012 |
Golkar, A; Öhman, A Fear extinction in humans: Effects of acquisition–extinction delay and masked stimulus presentations Journal Article Biological Psychology, 91 (2), pp. 292–301, 2012, ISSN: 03010511. Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Acquisition–extinction delay, Extinction, Fear conditioning, Fear-potentiated startle, Masking @article{Golkar2012b, title = {Fear extinction in humans: Effects of acquisition\textendashextinction delay and masked stimulus presentations}, author = {A Golkar and A \"{O}hman}, url = {http://www.emotionlab.se/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Golkar_Ohman_2012_fear_extinction.pdf}, doi = {10.1016/j.biopsycho.2012.07.007}, issn = {03010511}, year = {2012}, date = {2012-10-01}, journal = {Biological Psychology}, volume = {91}, number = {2}, pages = {292--301}, abstract = {Fear extinction can be viewed as an inhibitory learning process. This is supported by post-extinction phenomena demonstrating the return of fear, such as reinstatement. Recent work has questioned this account, claiming that extinction initiated immediately after fear acquisition can abolish the return of fear. In the current study, participants were fear conditioned to four different conditioned stimuli (CS) and underwent extinction either immediately or after a 24 h delay. During extinction, we manipulated CS contingency awareness by presenting two of the CSs (one CS+, one CS−) under non-masked conditions and the other two CSs under masked conditions. Compared to delayed extinction, immediate extinction of non-masked CSs promoted less extinction of fear-potentiated startle and shock expectancy ratings and less reinstatement of fear-potentiated startle without affecting shock expectancy ratings. Critically, future research should clarify how the differences between immediate and delayed extinction in within-session extinction modulate the recovery of fear.}, keywords = {Acquisition\textendashextinction delay, Extinction, Fear conditioning, Fear-potentiated startle, Masking}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Fear extinction can be viewed as an inhibitory learning process. This is supported by post-extinction phenomena demonstrating the return of fear, such as reinstatement. Recent work has questioned this account, claiming that extinction initiated immediately after fear acquisition can abolish the return of fear. In the current study, participants were fear conditioned to four different conditioned stimuli (CS) and underwent extinction either immediately or after a 24 h delay. During extinction, we manipulated CS contingency awareness by presenting two of the CSs (one CS+, one CS−) under non-masked conditions and the other two CSs under masked conditions. Compared to delayed extinction, immediate extinction of non-masked CSs promoted less extinction of fear-potentiated startle and shock expectancy ratings and less reinstatement of fear-potentiated startle without affecting shock expectancy ratings. Critically, future research should clarify how the differences between immediate and delayed extinction in within-session extinction modulate the recovery of fear. |
Golkar, A; Bellander, M; Olsson, A; Öhman, A Are fear memories erasable?–reconsolidation of learned fear with fear-relevant and fear-irrelevant stimuli Journal Article Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 6 , 2012, ISSN: 1662-5153. Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Extinction, Fear learning, Fear-relevant, FPS, Reconsolidation, SCR @article{Golkar2012, title = {Are fear memories erasable?\textendashreconsolidation of learned fear with fear-relevant and fear-irrelevant stimuli}, author = {A Golkar and M Bellander and A Olsson and A \"{O}hman}, url = {http://www.emotionlab.se/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Golkar_et_al_2012_frontiers_fear_memories.pdf}, doi = {10.3389/fnbeh.2012.00080}, issn = {1662-5153}, year = {2012}, date = {2012-01-01}, journal = {Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience}, volume = {6}, abstract = {Recent advances in the field of fear learning have demonstrated that a single reminder exposure prior to extinction training can prevent the return of extinguished fear by disrupting the process of reconsolidation. These findings have however proven hard to replicate in humans. Given the significant implications of preventing the return of fear, the purpose of the present study was to further study the putative effects of disrupting reconsolidation. In two experiments, we assessed whether extinction training initiated within the reconsolidation time window could abolish the return of fear using fear-relevant (Experiment 1) or fear-irrelevant (Experiment 2) conditioned stimuli (CS). In both experiments, participants went through conditioning, extinction, and reinstatement testing on three consecutive days, with one of two reinforced CS being reactivated 10 min prior to extinction. We found that a single reminder exposure prior to extinction training did not prevent the return of extinguished fear responding using either fear-relevant or fear-irrelevant CSs. Our findings point to the need to further study the specific parameters that enable disruption of reconsolidation.}, keywords = {Extinction, Fear learning, Fear-relevant, FPS, Reconsolidation, SCR}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Recent advances in the field of fear learning have demonstrated that a single reminder exposure prior to extinction training can prevent the return of extinguished fear by disrupting the process of reconsolidation. These findings have however proven hard to replicate in humans. Given the significant implications of preventing the return of fear, the purpose of the present study was to further study the putative effects of disrupting reconsolidation. In two experiments, we assessed whether extinction training initiated within the reconsolidation time window could abolish the return of fear using fear-relevant (Experiment 1) or fear-irrelevant (Experiment 2) conditioned stimuli (CS). In both experiments, participants went through conditioning, extinction, and reinstatement testing on three consecutive days, with one of two reinforced CS being reactivated 10 min prior to extinction. We found that a single reminder exposure prior to extinction training did not prevent the return of extinguished fear responding using either fear-relevant or fear-irrelevant CSs. Our findings point to the need to further study the specific parameters that enable disruption of reconsolidation. |
2006 |
Delgado, M R; Olsson, A; Phelps, E A Extending animal models of fear conditioning to humans Journal Article Biological Psychology, 73 (1), pp. 39–48, 2006, ISSN: 03010511. Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Acquisition, Amygdala, Anxiety disorders, Emotion, Emotion regulation, Extinction, Infralimbic, Learning, Prefrontal cortex, Prelimbic @article{Delgado2006, title = {Extending animal models of fear conditioning to humans}, author = {M R Delgado and A Olsson and E A Phelps}, doi = {10.1016/j.biopsycho.2006.01.006}, issn = {03010511}, year = {2006}, date = {2006-07-01}, journal = {Biological Psychology}, volume = {73}, number = {1}, pages = {39--48}, abstract = {A goal of fear and anxiety research is to understand how to treat the potentially devastating effects of anxiety disorders in humans. Much of this research utilizes classical fear conditioning, a simple paradigm that has been extensively investigated in animals, helping outline a brain circuitry thought to be responsible for the acquisition, expression and extinction of fear. The findings from non-human animal research have more recently been substantiated and extended in humans, using neuropsychological and neuroimaging methodologies. Research across species concur that the neural correlates of fear conditioning include involvement of the amygdala during all stages of fear learning, and prefrontal areas during the extinction phase. This manuscript reviews how animal models of fear are translated to human behavior, and how some fears are more easily acquired in humans (i.e., social\textendashcultural). Finally, using the knowledge provided by a rich animal literature, we attempt to extend these findings to human models targeted to helping facilitate extinction or abolishment of fears, a trademark of anxiety disorders, by discussing efficacy in modulating the brain circuitry involved in fear conditioning via pharmacological treatments or emotion regulation cognitive strategies.}, keywords = {Acquisition, Amygdala, Anxiety disorders, Emotion, Emotion regulation, Extinction, Infralimbic, Learning, Prefrontal cortex, Prelimbic}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } A goal of fear and anxiety research is to understand how to treat the potentially devastating effects of anxiety disorders in humans. Much of this research utilizes classical fear conditioning, a simple paradigm that has been extensively investigated in animals, helping outline a brain circuitry thought to be responsible for the acquisition, expression and extinction of fear. The findings from non-human animal research have more recently been substantiated and extended in humans, using neuropsychological and neuroimaging methodologies. Research across species concur that the neural correlates of fear conditioning include involvement of the amygdala during all stages of fear learning, and prefrontal areas during the extinction phase. This manuscript reviews how animal models of fear are translated to human behavior, and how some fears are more easily acquired in humans (i.e., social–cultural). Finally, using the knowledge provided by a rich animal literature, we attempt to extend these findings to human models targeted to helping facilitate extinction or abolishment of fears, a trademark of anxiety disorders, by discussing efficacy in modulating the brain circuitry involved in fear conditioning via pharmacological treatments or emotion regulation cognitive strategies. |
Under Review
2016 |
Golkar, A; Haaker, J; Selbing, I; Olsson, A Neural signals of vicarious extinction learning Journal Article Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 11 (10), pp. 1541-1549, 2016. @article{Golkar2016, title = {Neural signals of vicarious extinction learning}, author = {A Golkar and J Haaker and I Selbing and A Olsson}, url = {http://www.emotionlab.se/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Armita_SCAN_authorscopy.pdf}, doi = {10.1093/scan/nsw068}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-02-13}, journal = {Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience}, volume = {11}, number = {10}, pages = {1541-1549}, abstract = {Social transmission of both threat and safety is ubiquitous, but little is known about the neural circuitry underlying vicarious safety learning. This is surprising given that these processes are critical to flexibly adapt to a changeable environment. To address how the expression of previously learned fears can be modified by the transmission of social information, two conditioned stimuli (CS + s) were paired with shock and the third was not. During extinction, we held constant the amount of direct, non-reinforced, exposure to the CSs (i.e. direct extinction), and critically varied whether another individual-acting as a demonstrator-experienced safety (CS + vic safety) or aversive reinforcement (CS + vic reinf). During extinction, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) responses to the CS + vic reinf increased but decreased to the CS + vic safety This pattern of vmPFC activity was reversed during a subsequent fear reinstatement test, suggesting a temporal shift in the involvement of the vmPFC. Moreover, only the CS + vic reinf association recovered. Our data suggest that vicarious extinction prevents the return of conditioned fear responses, and that this efficacy is reflected by diminished vmPFC involvement during extinction learning. The present findings may have important implications for understanding how social information influences the persistence of fear memories in individuals suffering from emotional disorders.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Social transmission of both threat and safety is ubiquitous, but little is known about the neural circuitry underlying vicarious safety learning. This is surprising given that these processes are critical to flexibly adapt to a changeable environment. To address how the expression of previously learned fears can be modified by the transmission of social information, two conditioned stimuli (CS + s) were paired with shock and the third was not. During extinction, we held constant the amount of direct, non-reinforced, exposure to the CSs (i.e. direct extinction), and critically varied whether another individual-acting as a demonstrator-experienced safety (CS + vic safety) or aversive reinforcement (CS + vic reinf). During extinction, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) responses to the CS + vic reinf increased but decreased to the CS + vic safety This pattern of vmPFC activity was reversed during a subsequent fear reinstatement test, suggesting a temporal shift in the involvement of the vmPFC. Moreover, only the CS + vic reinf association recovered. Our data suggest that vicarious extinction prevents the return of conditioned fear responses, and that this efficacy is reflected by diminished vmPFC involvement during extinction learning. The present findings may have important implications for understanding how social information influences the persistence of fear memories in individuals suffering from emotional disorders. |
2013 |
Golkar, A; Selbing, I; Flygare, O; Öhman, A; Olsson, A Other people as means to a safe end Journal Article Psychological Science, 24 (11), pp. 2182-2190, 2013. @article{Golkar2013, title = {Other people as means to a safe end}, author = {A Golkar and I Selbing and O Flygare and A \"{O}hman and A Olsson}, url = {http://www.emotionlab.se/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Golkar2013.pdf}, doi = {10.1177/0956797613489890}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-09-10}, journal = {Psychological Science}, volume = {24}, number = {11}, pages = {2182-2190}, abstract = {Information about what is dangerous and safe in the environment is often transferred from other individuals through social forms of learning, such as observation. Past research has focused on the observational, or vicarious, acquisition of fears, but little is known about how social information can promote safety learning. To address this issue, we studied the effects of vicarious-extinction learning on the recovery of conditioned fear. Compared with a standard extinction procedure, vicarious extinction promoted better extinction and effectively blocked the return of previously learned fear. We confirmed that these effects could not be attributed to the presence of a learning model per se but were specifically driven by the model’s experience of safety. Our results confirm that vicarious and direct emotional learning share important characteristics but that social-safety information promotes superior down-regulation of learned fear. These findings have implications for emotional learning, social-affective processes, and clinical practice.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Information about what is dangerous and safe in the environment is often transferred from other individuals through social forms of learning, such as observation. Past research has focused on the observational, or vicarious, acquisition of fears, but little is known about how social information can promote safety learning. To address this issue, we studied the effects of vicarious-extinction learning on the recovery of conditioned fear. Compared with a standard extinction procedure, vicarious extinction promoted better extinction and effectively blocked the return of previously learned fear. We confirmed that these effects could not be attributed to the presence of a learning model per se but were specifically driven by the model’s experience of safety. Our results confirm that vicarious and direct emotional learning share important characteristics but that social-safety information promotes superior down-regulation of learned fear. These findings have implications for emotional learning, social-affective processes, and clinical practice. |
2012 |
Golkar, A; Öhman, A Fear extinction in humans: Effects of acquisition–extinction delay and masked stimulus presentations Journal Article Biological Psychology, 91 (2), pp. 292–301, 2012, ISSN: 03010511. @article{Golkar2012b, title = {Fear extinction in humans: Effects of acquisition\textendashextinction delay and masked stimulus presentations}, author = {A Golkar and A \"{O}hman}, url = {http://www.emotionlab.se/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Golkar_Ohman_2012_fear_extinction.pdf}, doi = {10.1016/j.biopsycho.2012.07.007}, issn = {03010511}, year = {2012}, date = {2012-10-01}, journal = {Biological Psychology}, volume = {91}, number = {2}, pages = {292--301}, abstract = {Fear extinction can be viewed as an inhibitory learning process. This is supported by post-extinction phenomena demonstrating the return of fear, such as reinstatement. Recent work has questioned this account, claiming that extinction initiated immediately after fear acquisition can abolish the return of fear. In the current study, participants were fear conditioned to four different conditioned stimuli (CS) and underwent extinction either immediately or after a 24 h delay. During extinction, we manipulated CS contingency awareness by presenting two of the CSs (one CS+, one CS−) under non-masked conditions and the other two CSs under masked conditions. Compared to delayed extinction, immediate extinction of non-masked CSs promoted less extinction of fear-potentiated startle and shock expectancy ratings and less reinstatement of fear-potentiated startle without affecting shock expectancy ratings. Critically, future research should clarify how the differences between immediate and delayed extinction in within-session extinction modulate the recovery of fear.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Fear extinction can be viewed as an inhibitory learning process. This is supported by post-extinction phenomena demonstrating the return of fear, such as reinstatement. Recent work has questioned this account, claiming that extinction initiated immediately after fear acquisition can abolish the return of fear. In the current study, participants were fear conditioned to four different conditioned stimuli (CS) and underwent extinction either immediately or after a 24 h delay. During extinction, we manipulated CS contingency awareness by presenting two of the CSs (one CS+, one CS−) under non-masked conditions and the other two CSs under masked conditions. Compared to delayed extinction, immediate extinction of non-masked CSs promoted less extinction of fear-potentiated startle and shock expectancy ratings and less reinstatement of fear-potentiated startle without affecting shock expectancy ratings. Critically, future research should clarify how the differences between immediate and delayed extinction in within-session extinction modulate the recovery of fear. |
Golkar, A; Bellander, M; Olsson, A; Öhman, A Are fear memories erasable?–reconsolidation of learned fear with fear-relevant and fear-irrelevant stimuli Journal Article Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 6 , 2012, ISSN: 1662-5153. @article{Golkar2012, title = {Are fear memories erasable?\textendashreconsolidation of learned fear with fear-relevant and fear-irrelevant stimuli}, author = {A Golkar and M Bellander and A Olsson and A \"{O}hman}, url = {http://www.emotionlab.se/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Golkar_et_al_2012_frontiers_fear_memories.pdf}, doi = {10.3389/fnbeh.2012.00080}, issn = {1662-5153}, year = {2012}, date = {2012-01-01}, journal = {Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience}, volume = {6}, abstract = {Recent advances in the field of fear learning have demonstrated that a single reminder exposure prior to extinction training can prevent the return of extinguished fear by disrupting the process of reconsolidation. These findings have however proven hard to replicate in humans. Given the significant implications of preventing the return of fear, the purpose of the present study was to further study the putative effects of disrupting reconsolidation. In two experiments, we assessed whether extinction training initiated within the reconsolidation time window could abolish the return of fear using fear-relevant (Experiment 1) or fear-irrelevant (Experiment 2) conditioned stimuli (CS). In both experiments, participants went through conditioning, extinction, and reinstatement testing on three consecutive days, with one of two reinforced CS being reactivated 10 min prior to extinction. We found that a single reminder exposure prior to extinction training did not prevent the return of extinguished fear responding using either fear-relevant or fear-irrelevant CSs. Our findings point to the need to further study the specific parameters that enable disruption of reconsolidation.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Recent advances in the field of fear learning have demonstrated that a single reminder exposure prior to extinction training can prevent the return of extinguished fear by disrupting the process of reconsolidation. These findings have however proven hard to replicate in humans. Given the significant implications of preventing the return of fear, the purpose of the present study was to further study the putative effects of disrupting reconsolidation. In two experiments, we assessed whether extinction training initiated within the reconsolidation time window could abolish the return of fear using fear-relevant (Experiment 1) or fear-irrelevant (Experiment 2) conditioned stimuli (CS). In both experiments, participants went through conditioning, extinction, and reinstatement testing on three consecutive days, with one of two reinforced CS being reactivated 10 min prior to extinction. We found that a single reminder exposure prior to extinction training did not prevent the return of extinguished fear responding using either fear-relevant or fear-irrelevant CSs. Our findings point to the need to further study the specific parameters that enable disruption of reconsolidation. |
2006 |
Delgado, M R; Olsson, A; Phelps, E A Extending animal models of fear conditioning to humans Journal Article Biological Psychology, 73 (1), pp. 39–48, 2006, ISSN: 03010511. @article{Delgado2006, title = {Extending animal models of fear conditioning to humans}, author = {M R Delgado and A Olsson and E A Phelps}, doi = {10.1016/j.biopsycho.2006.01.006}, issn = {03010511}, year = {2006}, date = {2006-07-01}, journal = {Biological Psychology}, volume = {73}, number = {1}, pages = {39--48}, abstract = {A goal of fear and anxiety research is to understand how to treat the potentially devastating effects of anxiety disorders in humans. Much of this research utilizes classical fear conditioning, a simple paradigm that has been extensively investigated in animals, helping outline a brain circuitry thought to be responsible for the acquisition, expression and extinction of fear. The findings from non-human animal research have more recently been substantiated and extended in humans, using neuropsychological and neuroimaging methodologies. Research across species concur that the neural correlates of fear conditioning include involvement of the amygdala during all stages of fear learning, and prefrontal areas during the extinction phase. This manuscript reviews how animal models of fear are translated to human behavior, and how some fears are more easily acquired in humans (i.e., social\textendashcultural). Finally, using the knowledge provided by a rich animal literature, we attempt to extend these findings to human models targeted to helping facilitate extinction or abolishment of fears, a trademark of anxiety disorders, by discussing efficacy in modulating the brain circuitry involved in fear conditioning via pharmacological treatments or emotion regulation cognitive strategies.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } A goal of fear and anxiety research is to understand how to treat the potentially devastating effects of anxiety disorders in humans. Much of this research utilizes classical fear conditioning, a simple paradigm that has been extensively investigated in animals, helping outline a brain circuitry thought to be responsible for the acquisition, expression and extinction of fear. The findings from non-human animal research have more recently been substantiated and extended in humans, using neuropsychological and neuroimaging methodologies. Research across species concur that the neural correlates of fear conditioning include involvement of the amygdala during all stages of fear learning, and prefrontal areas during the extinction phase. This manuscript reviews how animal models of fear are translated to human behavior, and how some fears are more easily acquired in humans (i.e., social–cultural). Finally, using the knowledge provided by a rich animal literature, we attempt to extend these findings to human models targeted to helping facilitate extinction or abolishment of fears, a trademark of anxiety disorders, by discussing efficacy in modulating the brain circuitry involved in fear conditioning via pharmacological treatments or emotion regulation cognitive strategies. |