Hemodynamic (fMRI) and magnetoencephalographic (MEG) correlates of fear-generalization in anxiety disorders: developmental aspects and effects of psychotherapy (C08)

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The project aims to reveal the neural mechanisms of fear generalization in adult and adolescent patients with anxiety disorders and healthy controls by means of parallel fMRI/MEG studies. Furthermore, it will investigate effects of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) on neural and behavioural mechanisms of fear generalization in specific phobia. We hypothesize that fear overgeneralization in patients is mainly due to an intensified top-down risk-avoidance strategy, but not to a failure of stimulus discrimination, and that these processes can be altered by exposure therapy.