Nature Communications (Jun 2018)

A dopaminergic switch for fear to safety transitions

  • Ray Luo,
  • Akira Uematsu,
  • Adam Weitemier,
  • Luca Aquili,
  • Jenny Koivumaa,
  • Thomas J. McHugh,
  • Joshua P. Johansen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-04784-7
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 11

Abstract

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Fear memories are overcome only when it is ascertained that fearful responses are not appropriate. Here the authors demonstrate that activity in dopamine neurons is necessary to extinguish fear responses and two distinct dopamine neuron projections exert opposing effects on extinction learning.