Dr. Andrew Huberman: How Extinction Erases Learned Fears

The amygdala encodes fear through Pavlovian conditioning in a single trial; extinction alone never erases it, but MDMA-assisted therapy can overwrite trauma.

Andrew Hubermanhost

Nov 6, 202535mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: November 6, 2025
Duration: 35m
Channel: Huberman Lab
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

In this ⁠Huberman Lab Essentials⁠ episode, I explore the neuroscience of fear and trauma and how to effectively process and eliminate traumatic responses. I explain why successful fear treatment requires both extinction of the old fearful response and replacement with a new positive association—not just cognitive reframing. I also explain how the threat reflex activates specific circuits connecting the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and dopamine systems, and why detailed recounting of traumatic events progressively reduces their physiological impact. Finally, I review evidence-based approaches, including prolonged exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy, discuss how five minutes per day of deliberate stress through cyclic hyperventilation can rewire fear responses, explain the critical role of social connection in activating neural pathways that reduce trauma, and share supplementation options for managing anxiety. Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/WeEXeyX Huberman Lab Essentials are short episodes focused on essential science and protocol takeaways from past full-length Huberman Lab episodes. Watch the full-length episode: https://youtu.be/31wjVhCcI5Y Watch more Huberman Lab Essentials episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPNW_gerXa4OGNy1yE-W9IX-tPu-tJa7S *Follow Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Introducing Fear & Trauma 00:00:17 What is Fear? 00:01:03 Autonomic Arousal: "Alertness" vs. "Calmness" 00:02:05 Fear vs. Stress & Anxiety 00:07:51 "The Threat Reflex": Neural Circuits for Fear 00:17:49 Cognitive (Narrative) Therapies for Fear 00:23:34 PTSD Treatments: Ketamine, MDMA, Oxytocin 00:28:30 Deliberate Brief Stress Can Erase Fears & Trauma 00:31:10 Nutrition, Sleep, & Other General Support Erasing Fear & Trauma 00:33:38 Recap #HubermanLab #Science #Neuroscience Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

SPEAKERS

Andrew Huberman
host

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Huberman Lab, featuring Andrew Huberman, Dr. Andrew Huberman: How Extinction Erases Learned Fears explores rewriting Fear: Neuroscience Tools To Extinguish Trauma And Rewire Memory Andrew Huberman explains the neurobiology of fear and trauma, detailing how the autonomic nervous system, HPA axis, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex interact to create and maintain threat responses. He shows how fear memories are formed via Pavlovian conditioning and why trauma represents an overgeneralized, maladaptive activation of the same circuitry.

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