Neural correlates of human fear conditioning and sources of variability in 2199 individuals

Abstract

Pavlovian fear conditioning is a fundamental process in both health and disease. We investigate its neural correlates and sources of variability using harmonized functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 2199 individuals across nine countries, including 1888 healthy individuals and 311 with anxiety-related or depressive disorders. Using mega-analysis and normative modeling, we show that fear conditioning consistently engages brain regions within the “central autonomic–interoceptive” or “salience” network. Several task variables strongly modulate activity in these regions, contributing to variability in neural responses. Additionally, brain activation patterns differ between healthy ind..