Prefrontal Cortex Deep Brain Stimulation Improves Fear and Anxiety-Like Behavior and Reduces Basolateral Amygdala Activity in a Preclinical Model of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

ABSTRACT: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is being investigated for a number of psychiatric indications, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Preclinical studies continue to be a cornerstone for the development of new DBS applications. We investigate whether DBS delivered to the infralimbic cortex (IL), a region involved in mechanisms of stress resiliency, may counter behavioral abnormalities in rats that present persistent extinction deficits and long-term anxiety after exposure to fear conditioning. Rats undergoing fear conditioning/extinction were segregated into weak and strong extinction groups (WE >70% or SE <30% of freezing during extinction). Following 2 weeks of DBS, animals were exposed to novel recall sessions and tested in the open field, novelty-suppressed feeding, and elevated

SUBMITTER: Reznikov R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5854795 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature