Neurobiological advances of learned fear in humans

Abstract

In the whole animal kingdom, fear learning is an essential process that allows living beings to survive. Therefore, revealing the neurophysiological processes that govern the expression of emotional fear memory and exploring its neurobiological underpinnings are the imperatives of affective neuroscience. Learned fear memories activate defensive behaviors in anticipation of harm, thus minimizing the impact of the threat. However, despite a century of research, the neural circuitry underlying fear learning in humans is still a matter of debate. This editorial will discuss recent evidence of the neural and behavioral correlates of fear learning in humans, with an emphasis on the role of the human prefrontal cortex (PFC).