Treatment with a heat-killed preparation of Mycobacterium vaccae after fear conditioning enhances fear extinction in the fear-potentiated startle paradigm.

ABSTRACT: The hygiene hypothesis or "Old Friends" hypothesis proposes that inflammatory diseases are increasing in modern urban societies, due in part to reduced exposure to microorganisms that drive immunoregulatory circuits and a failure to terminate inappropriate inflammatory responses. Inappropriate inflammation is also emerging as a risk factor for anxiety disorders, affective disorders, and trauma-and stressor-related disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is characterized as persistent re-experiencing of the trauma after a traumatic experience. Traumatic experiences can lead to long-lasting fear memories and fear potentiation of the acoustic startle reflex. The acoustic startle reflex is an ethologically relevant reflex and can be potentiated in both humans and rats

SUBMITTER: Hassell JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6754802 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature