RGD Reference Report - Inhibition of amygdaloid dopamine D2 receptors impairs emotional learning measured with fear-potentiated startle. - Rat Genome Database

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Inhibition of amygdaloid dopamine D2 receptors impairs emotional learning measured with fear-potentiated startle.

Authors: Greba, Q  Gifkins, A  Kokkinidis, L 
Citation: Greba Q, etal., Brain Res. 2001 Apr 27;899(1-2):218-26.
RGD ID: 1581463
Pubmed: PMID:11311883   (View Abstract at PubMed)

Considerable advances have been made in understanding the neurocircuitry underlying the acquisition and expression of Pavlovian conditioned fear responses. Within the complex cellular and molecular processes mediating fearfulness, amygdaloid dopamine (DA), originating from cells in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the midbrain, is thought to contribute to fear-motivated responding. Considering that blockade of DA D(2) receptors is a common mechanism of action for antipsychotic agents, we hypothesized that inhibition of D(2) receptors in the amygdala may be involved in the antiparanoid effects of these drugs. To assess the role of amygdaloid DA D(2) receptors in aversive emotionality, the D(2) receptor antagonist raclopride was infused into the amygdala prior to Pavlovian fear conditioning. Potentiated startle was used as a behavioral indicator of fear and anxiety. Classical fear conditioning and acoustic startle testing were conducted in a single session allowing for the concomitant assessment of shock reactivity with startle enhancement. Depending on dose, the results found conditioned fear acquisition and retention to be impaired following administration of raclopride into the amygdala. Additionally, the learning deficit was dissociated from shock detection and from fear expression assessed with the shock sensitization of acoustic startle. These findings further refine the known neural mechanisms of amygdala-based emotional learning and memory and were interpreted to suggest that, along with D(1) receptors, D(2) receptors in the amygdala may mediate the formation and the retention of newly-acquired fear associations.

Phenotype Annotations    Click to see Annotation Detail View

Mammalian Phenotype

TermQualifierEvidenceWithReferenceNotesSourceOriginal Reference(s)
abnormal conditioned emotional response  IDA 1581463decreased after administration of D2 antagonistRGD 
decreased fear-related response  IDA 1581463decreased after administration of D2 antagonistRGD 
Objects Annotated

Genes (Rattus norvegicus)
Drd2  (dopamine receptor D2)


Additional Information