EFFECT OF CATECHOLAMINES ON EMOTIONAL MEMORY

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Based on studies in rodents, we hypothesize that when an emotional memory is recalled, it undergoes reconsolidation and that reconsolidation can be impaired by blockade of beta-adrenergic receptor stimulation. The primary aim of this study is to determine whether acute administration of the beta-adrenergic blocker propranolol impairs reconsolidation of conditioned fear. 80 subjects will undergo fear conditioning using visual cues paired with a mild wrist shock, and conditioning will be assessed using galvanic skin response. Subjects will receive either propranolol or placebo on the following day, immediately after a brief presentation of the visual cues which had previously been paired with a shock. A third group of subject will receive propranolol without cue re-exposure. On the following day, extinction of the fear response will be compared among groups.