DARE2APPROACH is a research program funded by the European Research Council by means of a consolidator grant (ERC-CoG). In this project, we will study how people make decisions under acute threat. How do our brains compute the decision to approach or avoid threat? And how do our bodily states affect those decisions? We will develop a computational model that accounts for threat-induced bodily states and test the neural mechanisms underlying approach and avoidance decisions, not only in healthy individuals, but also in anxiety patients. Additionally, we aim to gain insight into the causal role of these neural mechanisms by using neuro-stimulatory methods such as deep brain stimulation (DBS). Finally, we will apply the optimized model to develop personalized neurocognitive therapies for anxiety disorders. The outcomes of this project are not only relevant for anxiety patients but for anyone aiming to optimize approach-avoidance decisions during threat.
The project started in 2019 and will run until 2024