Fear learning–induced brain dynamics predict individual extinction memory expression following transcranial magnetic stimulation
Abstract
Fear learning and extinction unfold as time-dependent processes. Herein, we examined whether fear learning dynamically reorganizes brain activity and whether such reorganization predicts subsequent extinction-memory expression under transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-modulated extinction. Eighty-seven healthy adults completed a three-day Pavlovian threat-learning protocol with resting-state fMRI, TMS-modulated extinction, and extinction-memory fMRI. Using coactivation pattern analysis with a hidden Markov model, we identified a fear-learning–induced brain state characterized by increased engagement and transition uncertainty after conditioning. Functional connectivity reorganization within this state predicted individual differences in extinction recall- and renewal-related brain activation under TMS-modulated extinction (cross-validated; recall r = 0.47, p = 0.001; renewal r = 0.37, p = 0.01; permutation-tested), but not natural extinction. In separate brain–behavior correlation analyses, the neural variates identified in the TMS-modulated extinction were associated with behavioral expression. These findings demonstrate that fear learning reshapes brain-state dynamics and identifies a candidate biomarker of neuromodulation-linked extinction-memory expression.
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BibTeX
@article{zhang2026fear,
title = {{Fear learning–induced brain dynamics predict individual extinction memory expression following transcranial magnetic stimulation}},
author = {Kai Zhang and Lihan Cui and B.Isabel Moallem and Hani Meelad and Zakiya Atiyah and Muhammad Badarnee and Isabella Mason and Zhenfu Wen and Mark S. George and Mohammed R. Milad},
journal = {Nature Communications},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1038/s41467-026-78345-8},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-78345-8},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Fear learning–induced brain dynamics predict individual extinction memory expression following transcranial magnetic stimulation
AU - Kai Zhang
AU - Lihan Cui
AU - B.Isabel Moallem
AU - Hani Meelad
AU - Zakiya Atiyah
AU - Muhammad Badarnee
AU - Isabella Mason
AU - Zhenfu Wen
AU - Mark S. George
AU - Mohammed R. Milad
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/05
JO - Nature Communications
DO - 10.1038/s41467-026-78345-8
UR - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-78345-8
AB - Fear learning and extinction unfold as time-dependent processes. Herein, we examined whether fear learning dynamically reorganizes brain activity and whether such reorganization predicts subsequent extinction-memory expression under transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-modulated extinction. Eighty-seven healthy adults completed a three-day Pavlovian threat-learning protocol with resting-state fMRI, TMS-modulated extinction, and extinction-memory fMRI. Using coactivation pattern analysis with a hidden Markov model, we identified a fear-learning–induced brain state characterized by increased engagement and transition uncertainty after conditioning. Functional connectivity reorganization within this state predicted individual differences in extinction recall- and renewal-related brain activation under TMS-modulated extinction (cross-validated; recall r = 0.47, p = 0.001; renewal r = 0.37, p = 0.01; permutation-tested), but not natural extinction. In separate brain–behavior correlation analyses, the neural variates identified in the TMS-modulated extinction were associated with behavioral expression. These findings demonstrate that fear learning reshapes brain-state dynamics and identifies a candidate biomarker of neuromodulation-linked extinction-memory expression.
SN - 2041-1723
ER -