Dopaminergic drugs modulate fear extinction-related processes in humans, but effects are mild.

ABSTRACT: The ability to extinguish learned fear responses is crucial for adaptive behaviour. The mesolimbic dopaminergic system originating in the ventral tegmental area has been proposed to contribute to fear extinction learning because of its critical role in reward learning. The unexpected omission of aversive unconditioned stimuli (US) is considered rewarding (outcome better than expected) and drives extinction learning. We tested the hypothesis that extinction learning is facilitated by dopaminergic drugs and impeded by anti-dopaminergic drugs. The effects of dopamine agonists [levodopa (100 mg) and bromocriptine (1.25 mg)] and antagonists [tiapride (100 mg) and haloperidol (3 mg)] on fear extinction learning were compared with placebo in 146 young and healthy human participants. A 3-day diffe

SUBMITTER: Doubliez A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12449160 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature