Study reveals how alcohol and childhood stress rewire fear responses

NCT ID NCT02438969

First seen Nov 20, 2025 · Last updated Apr 23, 2026 · Updated 26 times

Summary

This study looked at how alcohol dependence and early life stress (ELS) affect a person's ability to learn to feel calm after fear. Researchers compared 96 adults with and without alcohol use disorder and with and without ELS. Participants underwent brain scans, mild electric shocks, and psychological tests to measure fear conditioning and extinction. The goal was to understand how genetics and life experiences change brain activity related to fear and anxiety.

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

    Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

Conditions

Explore the condition pages connected to this study.