Brain morphology correlates of interindividual differences in conditioned fear acquisition and extinction learning
Abstract
The neural circuits underlying fear learning have been intensively investigated in pavlovian fear conditioning paradigms across species. These studies established a predominant role for the amygdala in fear acquisition, while the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) has been shown to be important in the extinction of conditioned fear. However, studies on morphological correlates of fear learning could not consistently confirm an association with these structures. The objective of the present study was to investigate if interindividual differences in morphology of the amygdala and the vmPFC are related to differences in fear acquisition and extinction learning in humans. We performed structural magnetic resonance imaging in 68 healthy participants who underwent a differential cued fear conditioning paradigm. Volumes of subcortical structures as well as cortical thickness were computed by the semi-automated segmentation software Freesurfer. Stronger acquisition of fear as indexed by skin conductance responses was associated with larger right amygdala volume, while the degree of extinction learning was positively correlated with cortical thickness of the right vmPFC. Both findings could be conceptually replicated in an independent sample of 53 subjects. The data complement our understanding of the role of human brain morphology in the mechanisms of the acquisition and extinction of conditioned fear.
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Greater vmPFC thickness is associated with smaller differential SCR during early extinction learning.
“Subsequently, Winkelman et al. [98] examined the relationship between vmPFC thickness and extinction learning, rather than recall, and found similar results. Greater vmPFC thickness was associated with smaller differential SCR during early extinction learning, suggestive of better extinction learning.”
From Prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and threat processing: implications for PTSD (2022) · cites this paper as [98]
Cites
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“[98] examined the relationship between vmPFC thickness and extinction learning, rather than recall, and found similar results.”
ResultNeuroimaging of fear-associated learning
Greco, J. A., & Liberzon, I. (2016) · Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1038/npp.2015.255 · Cited by 145 · see citing works
- Authors
- Winkelmann, T., Grimm, O., Pohlack, S. T., Nees, F., Cacciaglia, R., Dinu-Biringer, R., Steiger, F., Wicking, M., Ruttorf, M., Schad, L. R., & Flor, H.
- Affiliations
- Heidelberg University (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Flor, Herta
- Venue
- Brain Structure and Function
- Published
- 2015-02-26
- Volume
- 221
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 1927-1937
- ISSN
- 1863-2653 (ISSN-L)
- 1863-2661
- OpenAlex
- W2054571943
- Cited by
- 33
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 2
- FWCI
- 2.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Brain Structure and Function (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Keywords
- fear conditioning, fear extinction, fear acquisition, amygdala volume, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, cortical thickness, individual differences, brain structure, skin conductance response
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Amygdala, Brain, Conditioning, Classical, Extinction, Psychological, Fear, Female, Galvanic Skin Response, Humans, Individuality, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Prefrontal Cortex, Young Adult
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