How biological sex and anxiety affect learning to overcome fear
Official title: The effects of biological sex, intolerance of uncertainty and anxious states on threat acquisition and extinction learning
Funded at York College · NIH-10876163 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how being male or female, feeling anxious, and how well you handle uncertainty can affect your ability to overcome fears, with the goal of making anxiety treatments even better for everyone.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | York College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Jamaica, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $475,572 |
| NIH project number | 1R15MH134219-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10876163 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals experiencing anxiety disorders who are interested in understanding and improving their fear responses.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have anxiety disorders or related conditions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how biological sex, levels of anxiety, and intolerance of uncertainty influence the ability to learn to extinguish fear responses. It focuses on understanding the mechanisms behind fear extinction learning, which is crucial for improving therapies for anxiety disorders. By examining how anxious states and sex differences affect this learning process, the study aims to enhance exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapies that help individuals manage their fears. Participants may engage in tasks designed to simulate fear learning and extinction under various conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatments for anxiety disorders by tailoring therapies to individual differences in fear learning.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that understanding the factors influencing fear extinction can lead to improved therapeutic outcomes, indicating that this approach has potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
York College
Jamaica, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Johnson, David Charles — York College
- Study coordinator: Johnson, David Charles
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.