title: NR2A- and NR2B-containing NMDA receptors in the prelimbic medial prefrontal cortex differentially mediate trace, delay, and contextual fear conditioning.
abstract: Activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAR) in the prelimbic medial prefrontal cortex (PL mPFC) is necessary for the acquisition of both trace and contextual fear memories, but it is not known how specific NR2 subunits support each association. The NR2B subunit confers unique properties to the NMDAR and may differentially regulate these two fear memories. Here we show that NR2A-containing NMDARs mediate trace, delay, and contextual fear memories, but NR2B-containing NMDARs are required only for trace conditioning, consistent with a role for PL mPFC in working memory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211, USA. marieke.gilmartin@gmail.com
authors.forename: Marieke R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Gilmartin
authors.forename: Janine L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kwapis
authors.forename: Fred J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Helmstetter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005239:Fear; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D010636:Phenols; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010636:Phenols; D010880:Piperidines; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; C121001:NR2B NMDA receptor; C109643:Ro 25-6981