Avoidance and Exposure
From brain to clinic

Learning to avoid potential threats is key to survival, but it can become maladaptive when the perceived danger is objectively low or even absent. Exposure-based therapies aim to counteract flawed associations between intrinsically safe situations and imagined dangerous outcomes by repeatedly exposing an individual to the objects or situations that elicit fear. Exposure therapy can be effective in alleviating symptoms, including safety and avoidance behaviours. However, it often does not lead to full remission, and relapse after treatment is common. This symposium brings together leading neuroscientists and researchers in psychopathology to discuss exposure and threat avoidance, from the brain to the clinic.