Blockade of estrogen by hormonal contraceptives impairs fear extinction in female rats and women.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Fear extinction is a laboratory model of fear inhibition and is the basis of exposure therapy for anxiety disorders. Emerging evidence from naturally cycling female rodents and women indicates that estrogens are necessary to the consolidation of fear extinction. Hormonal contraceptives (HCs) inhibit estrogen production; yet, their effects on fear extinction are unknown.

Methods

We used a cross-species translational approach to investigate the impact of HCs and estradiol supplementation on fear extinction in healthy women (n=76) and female rats (n = 140).

Results

Women using HCs exhibited significantly poorer extinction recall compared with naturally cycling women. The extinction impairment was also apparent in HC-treated female rats and was associated with

SUBMITTER: Graham BM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3557577 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature