Oxytocin attenuates fear learning via enhancing somatostatin interneuron-mediated local GABAergic inhibition in the prelimbic cortex - PubMed
3 hours ago
- #fear learning
- #oxytocin
- #prelimbic cortex
- Oxytocin pretreatment reduces fear learning by activating oxytocin receptors (OxtRs) in the prelimbic cortex (PL).
- Somatostatin (SST) interneurons in the PL show high OxtR expression and are key to oxytocin’s effect, enhancing GABAergic inhibition of pyramidal neurons.
- Ablating OxtR in GABA neurons or silencing SST interneurons blocks oxytocin's fear-attenuating effects, highlighting their critical role.
- Oxytocin's mechanism involves increased GABAergic synaptic transmission in the PL, offering potential for PTSD prevention strategies.
- The study suggests oxytocin as a prophylactic intervention to enhance resilience against PTSD, particularly in high-risk professions.