A growing number of studies suggest that the formation of new inhibitory memory underlies in the extinction of fear memory and its recall. The neural pro projection from the infralimbic prefrontal cortex (IL) to the subregion of the amygdala is a strong candidate neural substrate for the inhibition of fear expression. In this study, we hypothesized that inducing potentiation in the synapses of the extinction-related circuit would facilitate the fear extinction and its maintenance. Animals received IL stimulation either paired or unpaired with the CS in the extinction session under anesthesia. Rats that received IL stimulation paired with the CS showed significantly reduced level of freezing to the CSs when tested in an awakened state on the next day. Further recording studies showing long-term changes in the synapses of extinction-related circuit involving IL would be a corresponding evidence for the hypothesis of this study.
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