{
  "abstract": "The transformation of transient threats into enduring memories is fundamental to survival, yet how the human brain constructs long-term fear memory remains elusive. Early sensory cortex, traditionally viewed as a passive feature analyzer, is increasingly recognized as an active participant in fear processing. Here, using a multimodal approach combining high-definition -frequency transcranial alternating current stimulation (HD -tACS) with simultaneous EEG-fMRI and transformer-based neural decoding, we tracked fear memory development across early formation, consolidation, and long-term retention stages (assessed at 15 min, 24 h, and 7 days post-conditioning). Spatiotemporal memory representations were evident at all three time points, beginning at an early sensory stage (40-60 ms post-stimulus). Conditioning potentiated occipital -oscillation desynchronization (a marker of visual cortical disinhibition), which predicted the strength of subsequent long-term memory traces. Critically, targeted -tACS over early visual cortex induced V1/V2 inhibition, abolished conditioning-potentiated desynchronization, and selectively disrupted fear-memory consolidation and retention while leaving initial acquisition intact. These findings establish sensory cortical disinhibition as a necessary mechanism for long-term fear memory in humans and identify early sensory cortex as a causal node for interventions targeting persistent maladaptive fear.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Stony Brook University"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 13,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "J. A. Brown"
    },
    {
      "name": "Y. Ma"
    },
    {
      "name": "Y. Wang"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. J. Massa"
    },
    {
      "name": "P. K.-H. Cheng"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. Chen"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Ding"
    },
    {
      "name": "N. B. Schmidt"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. R. Milad"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. C. Soares"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. J. Dolan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "C. You"
    },
    {
      "name": "W. Li"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2ejnjk9nte9ry.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.08.28.745592",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.28.745592v1.full",
  "id": "2ejnjk9nte9ry",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.28.745592v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "neuroscience"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2805|Memory and Neural Mechanisms"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7208711649",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.28.745592v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-08-28",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2ejnjk9nte9ry.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:16Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.08.28.745592",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.28.745592v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:neuroscience",
      "subfield": "neuroscience"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Sensory cortical disinhibition is required for long-term fear memory in humans",
  "title_text": "Sensory cortical disinhibition is required for long-term fear memory in humans",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:16Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2ejnjk9nte9ry",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}