Modulation of fear generalization by the zona incerta.

ABSTRACT: Fear expressed toward threat-associated stimuli is an adaptive behavioral response. In contrast, the generalization of fear responses toward nonthreatening cues is a maladaptive and debilitating dimension of trauma- and anxiety-related disorders. Expressing fear to appropriate stimuli and suppressing fear generalization require integration of relevant sensory information and motor output. While thalamic and subthalamic brain regions play important roles in sensorimotor integration, very little is known about the contribution of these regions to the phenomenon of fear generalization. In this study, we sought to determine whether fear generalization could be modulated by the zona incerta (ZI), a subthalamic brain region that influences sensory discrimination, defensive responses, and retriev

SUBMITTER: Venkataraman A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6500173 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature