d-serine enhances extinction of auditory cued fear conditioning via ERK1/2 phosphorylation in mice

The Role of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase in Treatment Strategies for Fear and Drug Addiction

“…These results strongly suggest that the DCS effect on extinction of conditioned fear is mediated by the MAPK-dependent signalling cascades in the amygdala. This general finding has been replicated in mice (Matsuda, et al, 2010).…”

“…Using freezing as an index of fear, Ledgerwood et al (2003) demonstrated that intra-BLA infusions of DCS had no effect on within-session extinction of conditioned freezing compared to vehicle, whilst facilitating extinction at test. Interestingly, this facilitation effect of DCS on fear extinction appears to be due, at least partly, to increases in MAPK phosphorylation (Matsuda et al, 2010;Yang & Lu, 2005). In Yang and Lu (2005), systemic DCS injection 15 mins prior to extinction training significantly facilitated extinction www.intechopen.com…”

Analysis of free d-serine in mammals and its biological relevance

“…It has well been established that conditioned fear or drug seeking behavior is eradicated by being replaced by subsequent learning of harmless or alternative cues. This extinction phenomena have been applied as the behavioral therapies to the treatment of phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or drug abuse, and have newly been shown to be facilitated by the NMDA receptor glycine site agonists in their animal models [167][168][169][170][171][172]. In several randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials for phobia [173], social anxiety disorder [174], obsessive-compulsive disorder [175], PTSD [176] or panic disorder [126], low dose of d-cycloserine, a partial agonist for the glycine site of the NMDA receptor, in combination with a conventional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been reported to be more effective in ameliorating fear or anxiety compared with CBT alone.…”

Distinctive roles for amygdalar CREB in reconsolidation and extinction of fear memory

“…Two studies demonstrate increased phospho-CREB after long, extinction-inducing trials (Hall et al 2001;Mamiya et al 2009) whereas other studies demonstrate a decrease in CREB activity after extinction (Lin et al 2003;Izumi et al 2008). Furthermore, the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), but not protein kinase A (PKA), is required for extinction in the amygdala (Herry et al 2006;Matsuda et al 2010). Thus, the role of amygdalar CREB in extinction of auditory fear is unknown.…”