REM sleep: Out-dreaming fear

The ability to forget fear-inducing situations is essential for adapting to our environment, but the neural mechanisms underlying ‘fear forgetting’ remain unclear. Novel findings reveal that the activity of the infralimbic cortex — specifically during REM sleep — contributes to the extinction of fear memory. The ability to forget fear-inducing situations is essential for adapting to our environment, but the neural mechanisms underlying ‘fear forgetting’ remain unclear. Novel findings reveal that the activity of the infralimbic cortex — specifically during REM sleep — contributes to the extinction of fear memory.