Fear in the mind's eye: the neural correlates of differential fear acquisition to imagined conditioned stimuli.

ABSTRACT: Mental imagery is involved in both the expression and treatment of fear-related disorders such as anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, the neural correlates associated with the acquisition and generalization of differential fear conditioning to imagined conditioned stimuli are relatively unknown. In this study, healthy human participants (n = 27) acquired differential fear conditioning to imagined conditioned stimuli paired with a physical unconditioned stimulus (i.e. mild shock), as measured via self-reported fear, the skin conductance response and significant right anterior insula (aIn) activation. Multivoxel pattern analysis cross-classification also demonstrated that the pattern of activity in the right aIn during imagery acquisition was quantifiably similar to the patt

SUBMITTER: Burleigh L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10036874 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature