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Updated: Jul 10, 2026

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Investigating the Neural Mechanisms of Aware and Unaware Fear Memory with fMRI
Published on: October 6, 2011
The human dimension: how the prefrontal cortex modulates the subcortical fear response
Rachel Lisa Berkowitz1, Jeremy D Coplan, Dorothy P Reddy
1Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, Brooklyn, NY, USA.
Reviews in the Neurosciences
|November 21, 2007
Summary
Human anxiety disorders may stem from prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity differences. The PFC
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- The amygdala is crucial for fear acquisition and expression.
- Animal models of anxiety have limitations in mimicking human cognitive processes.
- The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is uniquely developed in humans and implicated in anxiety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in human anxiety disorders.
- To differentiate anxiety disorder subtypes based on PFC activity.
- To explore PFC function as a target for anxiety disorder treatments.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on amygdala and prefrontal cortex function.
- Analysis of neuroimaging studies in anxious individuals.
- Comparison of PFC activity patterns in different anxiety disorder classifications.
Main Results:
- Human anxiety disorders may be linked to differential prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity.
- Fear- and panic-related disorders (e.g., PTSD) show underactivity in the PFC, disinhibiting the amygdala.
- Worry- and rumination-related disorders (e.g., GAD, OCD) show overactivity in the PFC.
Conclusions:
- The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of human anxiety disorders.
- Distinct patterns of PFC activity may characterize different classes of anxiety disorders.
- Targeting prefrontal cortex function offers a promising avenue for developing effective anxiety disorder treatments.
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