Fear extinction, the reduction of conditioned fear responses through repeated exposure to a fear stimulus without reinforcement, has been studied extensively in both animals and humans. Over the past decade, research has advanced significantly, with a focus on understanding the neural circuits underlying fear extinction. This review highlights key findings and new approaches in the field, emphasizing the role of the prefrontal cortex, particularly the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and infralimbic prefrontal cortex (IL), in fear extinction. The vmPFC is involved in the retrieval of extinction memory, while the IL is crucial for the consolidation and expression of extinction. These findings have been supported by human neuroimaging studies, which show that the vmPFC and dorsal anterior cingulate (dACC) are involved in fear extinction. The amygdala, particularly the lateral amygdala, plays a central role in fear conditioning, while the hippocampus is involved in contextual gating of extinction. The prefrontal cortex interacts with the amygdala and hippocampus to modulate fear expression and extinction. Research has also shown that individual differences in fear extinction are influenced by genetic factors, such as the BDNF gene and sex hormones. These findings have important implications for understanding and treating anxiety disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Future research aims to further elucidate the neural mechanisms of fear extinction and develop more effective therapeutic interventions.Fear extinction, the reduction of conditioned fear responses through repeated exposure to a fear stimulus without reinforcement, has been studied extensively in both animals and humans. Over the past decade, research has advanced significantly, with a focus on understanding the neural circuits underlying fear extinction. This review highlights key findings and new approaches in the field, emphasizing the role of the prefrontal cortex, particularly the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and infralimbic prefrontal cortex (IL), in fear extinction. The vmPFC is involved in the retrieval of extinction memory, while the IL is crucial for the consolidation and expression of extinction. These findings have been supported by human neuroimaging studies, which show that the vmPFC and dorsal anterior cingulate (dACC) are involved in fear extinction. The amygdala, particularly the lateral amygdala, plays a central role in fear conditioning, while the hippocampus is involved in contextual gating of extinction. The prefrontal cortex interacts with the amygdala and hippocampus to modulate fear expression and extinction. Research has also shown that individual differences in fear extinction are influenced by genetic factors, such as the BDNF gene and sex hormones. These findings have important implications for understanding and treating anxiety disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Future research aims to further elucidate the neural mechanisms of fear extinction and develop more effective therapeutic interventions.