Subsequent memory effects on event-related potentials in associative fear learning

Studies of human fear learning suggest that a reliable discrimination between safe and threatening stimuli is important for survival and mental health. In the current study, we applied the subsequent memory paradigm in order to identify neurophysiological correlates of successful threat and safety learning. We recorded event-related potentials, while participants incidentally learned associations between multiple neutral faces and an aversive outcome [unconditioned stimulus (US)/conditioned stimulus (CS)+] or no outcome (noUS/CS−). We found that an enhanced late positive potential (LPP) to both CS+ and CS− during learning predicted subsequent memory. A quadratic relationship between LPP and confidence in memory indicates a possible role in both correct and false fear memory. Importantly, the P300 to the omission of the US (following CS−) was enhanced for remembered CS−, while there was a positive correlation between P300 amplitude to both US occurrence and omission and individual memory performance. A following re-exposure phase indicated that memory was indeed related to subjective fear of the CS+/CS−. These results highlight the importance of cognitive resource allocation to both threat and safety for the acquisition of fear and suggest a potential role of the P300 to US omission as an electrophysiological marker of successful safety learning.