title: Recent trends in the study of specific phobias.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Specific phobias are prevalent and often disabling anxiety disorders. The present review examines relevant investigations that have been published during the last 2 years on major aspects of this group of disorders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent studies have come mainly from epidemiology, brain imagery and cognitive-behavioral therapy, including virtual reality exposure therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Studies published in the last 2 years confirm the high prevalence of specific phobias in the general population and provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying the fear reaction after exposure to a phobic stimulus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg, Luxembourg. pull.charles@chl.lu
authors.forename: Charles B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Pull
mesh_terms: D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003887:Desensitization, Psychologic; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*