Neural pattern similarity predicts long-term fear memory
Abstract
Although certain changes in the brain may reflect fear learning, there are no known markers that indicate whether an aversive experience will develop into fear memory. We examined the moment-to-moment dynamics of human fear learning by applying multi-voxel pattern analysis to single-trial blood oxygen level–dependent magnetic resonance imaging data. We found that the long-term behavioral expression of fear memory could be predicted from neural patterns at the time of learning.
Authors
Renée M. Visser*, Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Cognitive Science Center Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands H Steven Scholte, Cognitive Science Center Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Tinka Beemsterboer, Department of Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Merel Kindt, Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Cognitive Science Center Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Year
2013
DOI of the Publication
https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3345
Is Version of
https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/CQ5ZR
Location of Data Collection
University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
How to Cite
Bathelt, J., Visser, R. M., Scholte, H. S., & Kindt, M. (2025). Amygdala activation in fear conditioning experiments [Data set and code]. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/CQ5ZR
Study Design
Contingency Instructions
Partially instructed (whole exp)
Outcome Measures
Participant Information
Participant Age
Participant Sex
Stimuli
Drug Administration
NoConditioning Protocol
Instructions Regarding CS–US Contingencies
US scored separately
NoNumber of Different US
US Modality
US Duration (ms)
Time Between CS and US Onset (ms)
Number of Different CS+
CS+ Duration (ms)
CS+ 1: Reinforcement Rate (%)
CS+ 2: Reinforcement Rate (%)
CS+ 3: Reinforcement Rate (%)
Number of Different CS-
CS- Duration (ms)
CS Modality
Data Collected During MRI
YesMeasures
pupil size
Pupil size.
US expectancy rating
US expectancy rating of the CS stimuli.
US intensity rating
Intensity rating of the US stimulus.
Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI)
State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T)
| Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| pupil size | Pupil size. | trialwise & untransformed |
| US expectancy rating | US expectancy rating of the CS stimuli. | |
| US intensity rating | Intensity rating of the US stimulus. | |
| Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) | ||
| State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T) |