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Updated: Apr 19, 2026
Protocol for Studying Extinction of Conditioned Fear in Naturally Cycling Female Rats
Published on: February 23, 2015
Fear extinction in 17 day old rats is dependent on metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 signaling
Despina E Ganella1, Pushbalela Thangaraju2, Andrew J Lawrence1
1Behavioural Neuroscience Division, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia.
Abstract:
We used pharmacological modulation of the mGlu5 receptor to investigate its role in the extinction of conditioned fear throughout development. In postnatal day (P) 17 rats, the positive allosteric modulator CDPPB facilitated, while the negative allosteric modulator MTEP impaired extinction. These drugs had no such effects on P24 or adult rats. These results establish a changing importance of mGlu5 in extinction of conditioned fear at distinct stages of development.
