Functional interplay between central and autonomic nervous systems in human fear conditioning

Abstract

Historically, studies on the neural basis of fear conditioning have emphasized the role of the central nervous system. However, there is growing evidence for the role of the autonomic nervous system in human fear conditioning. Here, we provide an overview of the sophisticated anatomical-functional interplay between the prefrontal cortex and heart-related dynamics in human fear conditioning and propose a theoretical model to conceptualize these psychophysiological processes, the neurovisceral integration model of fear (NVI-f). A richer understanding of the neurovisceral concomitants of this functional interplay will have both theoretical and clinical implications.

Keywords: fear network; heart rate variability; prefrontal cortex; psychiatric disorders; psychophysiological responses; vagus nerve.