Role of NMDA receptors and MAP kinase in the amygdala in extinction of fear: clinical implications for exposure therapy.
Infusions into the amygdala (a brain area essential for excitatory fear conditioning) of either NMDA receptor antagonists or inhibitors of the NMDA receptor-linked mitogen activated protein kinase cascade block extinction learning. Conversely, the NMDA receptor agonist D-cycloserine facilitates extinction after either systemic administration or intra-amygdala infusion. Because therapeutic interventions based on extinction procedures are commonly used to treat fear disorders, and because D-cycloserine is a widely available and safe compound, D-cycloserine or similar agents might be usefully combined with traditional extinction-based approaches in the treatment of clinical fear.
Department of Psychiatry, Emory University, 1639 Pierce Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. mdavis4@emory.edu
Michael
M
Davis
D000679:Amygdala / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases