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Social modulation of fear by region-specific actions of oxytocin

Award Number: F31MH092065
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2010
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2013

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Social modulation of fear by region-specific actions of oxytocin - Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive and persistent fear responses that render individuals incapable of engaging in everyday events. Social interactions with non-fearful conspecifics prior or after stressful events can significantly dampen fear responses to aversive stimuli, suggesting an important contribution of social interactions to the amelioration of anxiety symptoms. The broad objective of the proposed work is to determine the neuroanatomical and neurochemical circuits involved in social modulation of fear conditioning by non-fearful conspecifics. In particular, we are interested in understanding the relative contributions of oxytocin signaling in the lateral septum and in the hippocampus in the attenuation of fear seen after interactions with non-fearful models. We have recently developed a paradigm to study social modulation of fear in mice. In this paradigm, two pre-exposures to a non-fearful model attenuate subsequent fear conditioning in a context-specific manner. Oxytocin signaling in the lateral septum and the hippocampus is critical for social learning. In addition the lateral septum and the hippocampus have known roles in fear regulation and spatial learning, respectively. Therefore we hypothesize that oxytocin signaling in the lateral septum is important for the attenuation of fear seen in this paradigm, whereas oxytocin signaling in the hippocampus is important for encoding the contextual representations. In order to test this hypothesis we will perform pharmacological manipulations to activate or inhibit oxytocin signaling in the lateral septum or the hippocampus and determine its effects on context-specific attenuation of fear. In addition we will determine the role of these structures by use of conditional oxytocin receptor (Oxtr) gene knockout that will allow for specific deletion of the Oxtr in the neuroanatomical regions of interest. The neuroanatomical and neurochemical circuits uncovered by this work will serve as the basis for developing potential treatment strategies for anxiety disorders.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2017 ( Subtotal = -$1 )
2017	2012	NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY	633 CLARK ST	EVANSTON	IL	60208	COOK	USA	Mental Health National Research Service Awards for Research Training	000	3	5/15/2017	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$1
														Subtotal = -$1

Issue Date FY: 2013 ( Subtotal = -$3,672 )
2013	2012	NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY	633 CLARK STREET	EVANSTON	IL	60208	COOK	USA	Mental Health National Research Service Awards for Research Training	000	3	9/10/2013	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$3,672
														Subtotal = -$3,672

Issue Date FY: 2012 ( Subtotal = $32,789 )
2012	2012	NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY	633 CLARK STREET	EVANSTON	IL	60208	COOK	USA	Mental Health National Research Service Awards for Research Training	000	3	8/13/2012	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$32,789
														Subtotal = $32,789

Issue Date FY: 2011 ( Subtotal = $32,045 )
2011	2011	NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY	633 CLARK STREET	EVANSTON	IL	60208	COOK	USA	Mental Health National Research Service Awards for Research Training	000	2	8/8/2011	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$32,045
														Subtotal = $32,045

Issue Date FY: 2010 ( Subtotal = $31,327 )
2010	2010	NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY	633 CLARK STREET	EVANSTON	IL	60208	COOK	USA	Mental Health National Research Service Awards for Research Training	001	1	8/1/2010	NEW	$0
2010	2010	NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY	633 CLARK STREET	EVANSTON	IL	60208	COOK	USA	Mental Health National Research Service Awards for Research Training	000	1	8/1/2010	NEW	$31,327
														Subtotal = $31,327

Grand Total All Awards = $92,488

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Social modulation of fear by region-specific actions of oxytocin

Award Number: F31MH092065

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2010

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2013

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