Prazosin during fear conditioning facilitates subsequent extinction in male C57Bl/6N mice.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Recovery from a traumatic experience requires extinction of cue-based fear responses, a process that is impaired in post-traumatic stress disorder. While studies suggest a link between fear behavioral flexibility and noradrenaline signaling, the role of specific receptors and brain regions in these effects is unclear.

Objectives

Here, we examine the role of prazosin, an α1-adrenergic receptor (α1-AR) antagonist, in auditory fear conditioning and extinction.

Methods

C57Bl/6N mice were subjected to auditory fear conditioning and extinction in combination with systemic (0.1-2 mg/kg) or local microinjections (3 or 6 mM) of the α1-AR antagonist prazosin into the prelimbic division of medial prefrontal cortex or basolateral amygdala. Conditioned fear and anxiety-l

SUBMITTER: Lucas EK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6374171 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature