Sex differences in BNST signaling and BNST CRF in fear processing.

ABSTRACT: Fear responses to perceived danger are critical for survival, as they prompt the individual to respond to threats and avoid harm. However, excessive fear can impede normal biological processes and become harmful. This study investigates the neural mechanisms underlying two distinct forms of fear-phasic and sustained-in male and female mice, with a focus on the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) signaling. Phasic fear is characterized by immediate responses to clear threats, while sustained fear is driven by ambiguous or uncertain cues and persists longer. Using rodent models, we found that sustained fear, modeled by partial fear conditioning, induced greater arousal and BNST activity in males, especially during ambiguous threat cues. In cont

SUBMITTER: Hon OJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12680374 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature