Changes of Neuronal Activity in the Prefrontal Cortex Related to the Expression and Extinction of Conditioned Fear Responses

TL;DRAbstract

One of the fundamental roles of the prefrontal cortex is to inhibit inappropriate responses, as indicated by studies showing that lesions of this structure can result in perseverative behaviors. However, analyses of the involvement of prefrontal neurons in inhibition of conditioned fear responses, during extinction, have led to contradictory observations. Recent electrophysiological studies suggest that prefrontal neuronal activity does not interfere with the expression of conditioned fear before extinction, but may strongly contribute to modulate the post-extinction expression of fear responses. Here we will discuss all of these studies, along with some possible mechanisms of interactions between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala (long-term consolidation of extinction) and the hippocampus (modulation of the expression of extinction). The implications of these interactions for pathophysiology and therapy of post-traumatic stress disorder and relapse will also be discussed.

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