The Science Behind the Scream: Why We Love To Be Scared
Fear has evolved to protect organisms from harm. The brain’s amygdala detects threats, while other areas provide context. While some enjoy the thrill of fear…
Fear News
Neurological Secrets of Fear: The Eye-Averting Mechanism Uncovered in Fruit Flies
A cluster of neurons in the brains of fruit flies has been found to control visual aversion to scary objects. Averting our eyes from things…
New Research: Fearlessness Can Be Learned
The absence of a specific serotonin receptor has been linked to a reduction in previously acquired fear responses. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter, plays a crucial role…
Where Do Fears Come From? How Can New Insights Improve Treatment?
A new study leverages math in improving commonly used exposure therapy to overcome fear. New fear and exposure therapy research provides fundamental “Newtonian physics” to…
Withstand Psychiatric Stress: Jumping Gene Strongly Linked to Depression, Fear, and Anxiety
By combining neuroscience with molecular biology, scientists have discovered that a well-known gene works to withstand psychiatric stress. Researchers have found that Tob, a well-known…
Neuroscientists Discover Why the Memory of Fear Is Seared Into Our Brains
The research was conducted by a team of neuroscientists from Tulane and Tufts universities. Experiencing a frightening event is likely something you’ll never forget. But…
Why Are Mice Afraid of Bananas?
Scientists have identified a form of chemical signaling in mice to defend their offspring. The researchers, from McGill University, found that proximity to pregnant and…
Smartphone App Helps Tackle Fear of Spiders Using Augmented Reality
Researchers from the University of Basel have developed an augmented reality app for smartphones in order to help people reduce their fear of spiders. The…
New Study Shows Fear of Spiders and Snakes is Deeply Embedded in Humans
New research shows that babies as old as only a few months are able to identify objects as ‘spiders’ or ‘snakes’ and respond to them….
Disruption of Memory Reconsolidation Erases a Fear Memory Trace
Fear memories are formed when humans associate things with strong, negative emotional responses. A team of scientists from Uppsala University in Sweden have developed a…