The Hidden Face of Fear

Enrico Cerasuolo and Sergio Fergnachino's documentary The Hidden Face of Fear examines research into the methods employed by three survivors of the 9/11 attacks in New York to cope with post-traumatic stress and panic disorders. These case studies help explain the brain's mental processes and body's physiological responses in situations that produce fear and anxiety (and whether such responses can be controlled). Nobel Prize-winning neurobiologist Eric R. Kandel and noted neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux detail how the brain circuitry operates when confronted with high-anxiety circumstances, focusing in particular on the amygdala region of the brain. Other interviewees include psychologists and neuroscientists from the New York University Center for the Neuroscience of Fear and Anxiety. In dealing with complicated issues, the filmmakers deserve credit for trying to explain a complex subject in layperson terms, and while the prescription offered for how to overcome post-traumatic stress disorder feels like Hallmark-card psychology, it may also be true: namely, be open about your emotions and stay involved with loved ones. Although the simple explanatory animation used seems somewhat out of place, and the inclusion of LeDoux and his rock band singing neuroscience-themed tunes at a New York club doesn't add much, overall The Hidden Face of Fear provides a fascinating glimpse into a challenging aspect of neuroscience studies. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)