Brain electrical signals linked to fear and anxiety
Official title: Intracranial Neurophysiological Signatures of Fear and Anxiety in Humans
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11327806 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project records and briefly stimulates brain circuits in adults with implanted electrodes to learn how those signals relate to fear and anxiety.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2021 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $753,797 |
| NIH project number | 7R01MH124761-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11327806 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) who already have intracranial depth electrodes placed in the mPFC, basolateral amygdala, or ventral hippocampus—typically people with epilepsy—and who have varying levels of anxiety (including PTSD or GAD) are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without intracranial implants or whose anxiety is unrelated to these targeted brain regions would not be eligible and would not directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
If you take part, researchers will record intracranial EEG and deliver brief electrical stimulation through depth electrodes placed in brain areas involved in fear (mPFC, basolateral amygdala, and ventral hippocampus). You will perform lab-based and immersive virtual reality fear tasks while wearing sensors that track heart rate variability, skin conductance, pupil size, and eye blinks. Most participants are adults with epilepsy who already have implanted electrodes, and investigators will compare brain rhythms and responses across people with different anxiety levels, including PTSD and GAD. The team combines clinical recordings, stimulation, VR, and wearable physiology to map real-world and controlled fear responses in the human brain.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify precise brain signals to guide personalized brain stimulation or objective biomarkers for anxiety treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Rodent studies strongly support the role of these circuits in fear and limited human intracranial work exists, but combining iEEG, electrical stimulation, VR, and wearables in patients is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Suthana, Nanthia W — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Suthana, Nanthia W
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.