Continuous Theta-Burst Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation over the Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Disrupts Reconsolidation of Conditioned Fear Memory in Humans

This study investigated whether continuous TBS (cTBS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) influences the reconsolidation of fear memory using a 3-day design with the fear acquisition on day 1, cTBS intervention after reactivation on day 2, and the recall test, extinction, and reinstatement test on day 3. The fear response decreased when cTBS was delivered only during the reconsolidation window. The delivery of cTBS over the right dlPFC was effective for both recent and remote fear memories. Moreover, the impact of cTBS on reconsolidation was delay-dependent. The present findings authenticate that cTBS over the right dlPFC after CS exposure effectively decreases the fear response and prevents the return of fear.