Existing knowledge determines how new experiences are encoded in the brain.

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The aim of this project is to identify how existing knowledge shapes the way that new fear memories are encoded and stored in the brain. It seeks to achieve this aim through the use of an animal model, Pavlovian fear conditioning in rats. It is significant in providing the first systematic assessment of fear memories that form when dangerous experiences are consistent versus inconsistent with existing knowledge. The expected outcomes include new information regarding the links between existing knowledge, fear memories and their neural substrates. This information is needed for the development of a comprehensive theory that explains how the conditions under which fear memories form determines their content and wiring in the brain.