Fear-learning circuit shows how stress disrupts brain's ability to suppress trauma

MedicalXpress | Jul 01, 2026

Fear is often thought of as a negative emotion but is actually a natural protective response to perceived threats or danger. It helps us survive. When we experience a situation that causes fear, it becomes stored in our brain as a fear memory. These fear memories prevent us from touching a hot stove after being burned or from stepping onto a busy street.