Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the ventromedial prefrontal cortex enhances fear extinction in healthy humans: a single blind sham-controlled study

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental disorders [1,2]. Fear extinction is considered essential to promote successful treatment of several anxiety disorders. Neuroscience research has provided evidence for the contribution of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in extinction learning and recall [3,4]. Its role in fear extinction has been investigated via transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in a recent sham-controlled study involving healthy participants. In that study [5], 5 minutes of 2 mA anodal stimulation over the left vmPFC during fear extinction reduced the physiological expression of fear (reduction of Skin conductance response - SCR) induced via Pavlovian conditioning. However, no effects were reported for the recall session.