Involvement of microglia in disturbed fear memory regulation: Possible microglial contribution to the pathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder

Shingo Enomoto, Takahiro A. Kato

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Microglia, immune cells in the brain, play a crucial role in brain inflammation and synaptic plasticity by releasing inflammatory mediators and neurotrophic factors as well as, phagocytosing synaptic elements. Recent studies have shown peripheral inflammation, immune alteration in the brain are associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in humans. Several preclinical studies using Pavlovian fear conditioning have suggested that microglia are involved in fear memory dysregulation and altered fear neuronal networks. Microglial priming resulting from previous stressful experiences may also have an effect. This review will introduce the current knowledge of microglial contribution to disturbed fear memory regulation, a fundamental feature of PTSD.

Original languageEnglish
Article number104921
JournalNeurochemistry International
Volume142
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2021

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Involvement of microglia in disturbed fear memory regulation: Possible microglial contribution to the pathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this