Endocannabinoid Regulation of Learned Fear Inhibition

Anxiety and trauma-related disorders are characterized by deficits in emotional regulation, such that the inhibition of fear is impaired. This has implications for treating these disorders using psychological therapies that suppress inappropriate fear as these therapies can be short-lived, leading to a return of fear and symptom relapse. Endocannabinoid transmission in the brain is important for regulating fear in the short-term but whether it is involved in the lasting suppression of fear in the long-term remains to be determined. This project will combine pharmacological tools with behavioural testing techniques to determine the role of endocannabinoid transmission in suppressing learned fear using rodent models of translational relevance to anxiety-related disorders.