Memories of fear were once perceived as unchangeable, but recent insights show reconsolidation is possible. This can change a previous learned memory of fear.

A translational model is fit to study the conditioning of fear. Two main features of anxiety disorders are the fears that are both irrational and learned. Even though associative memories of fear are the core of anxiety disorders, it's important to realize they aren't always developed by direct conditioning like a traumatic event. The associative fear can also be the result of observational learning or indirect learning. However, the anxiety-enhancing stimulus is seen as a predicator of later negative outcomes.

The insight in reconsolidation is possibly an efficient strategy for the treatment of anxiety disorders.

In the current double blind, placebo-controlled study, participants with a fear for spiders were exposed to a tarantula. The experimental group got a dose of 40 mg noradrenaline-β-blocker (propranolol). To test if the reactivation of the anxiety memory is neccesary, an extra experimental group was added. In this group, the memory was not retrieved.

The results showed the disturbance of reconsolidation by using propanolol reduced the fear. Participants with a phobic fear for spiders tended to approach the spiders, instead of avoiding them. Also, this generalized to other spiders and the effect lasted at least a year (when a follow-up study was conducted).

It is noteworthy that the answers written down by participants in their self-evaluation changed only changed months after the experiment was conducted. This suggests that cognitive changes follow after behavioral changes. This is in strong contrast with an important assumption of cognitive behavior therapy, which states the behavioral changes can only occur after cognitive changes.

Although exposure therapy is effective for most patients, a great deal of them experience relapse. The results from the current study show medication has a strengthening effect on inhibitor-learning, which is an important part of cognitive behavior therapy. A combination of medication and cognitive behavior therapy could therefore be an effective strategy.