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Updated: May 4, 2026

Extinction Training During the Reconsolidation Window Prevents Recovery of Fear
Published on: August 24, 2012
The 5-HT3A receptor is essential for fear extinction
Makoto Kondo1, Yukiko Nakamura, Yusuke Ishida
1Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
Abstract:
The 5-HT3 receptor, the only ionotropic 5-HT receptor, is expressed in limbic regions, including the hippocampus, amygdala, and cortex. However, it is not known whether it has a role in fear memory processes. Analysis of 5-HT3A receptor knockout mice in fear conditioning paradigms revealed that the 5-HT3A receptor is not required for the acquisition or retention of fear memory but is essential for the extinction of contextual and tone-cued fear. Our data suggest that the 5-HT3A receptor could be a key molecule regulating fear memory processes and a potential therapeutic target for fear disorders.
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