Fear Memory

Fear memory is an important form of learning and memory that involves the ability to recall experiences associated with fear and anxiety. It is thought to be linked to the development of defensive behaviors that are important for the survival of the individual. Fear memory can be acquired through classical (Pavlovian) conditioning, in which a neutral stimulus (e.g. a bell) is paired with an aversive stimulus (e.g. an electric shock) resulting in the individual learning to associate the neutral stimulus with fear. Fear memory can also be acquired through direct experience with aversive events. Fear memory has implications for the treatment of anxiety-related disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder and phobias, which are believed to involve an overgeneralization and amplification of fear memories acquired through direct or classical conditioning. Fear memory can be studied in both animal and human models, and research regarding the neural basis of fear memory is ongoing.