Blockade of estrogen by hormonal contraceptives impairs fear extinction in female rats and women

摘要

BackgroundFear extinction is a laboratory model of fear inhibition and is the basis of exposure therapy for anxiety disorders. Emerging evidence from naturally cycling female rodents and women indicates that estrogens are necessary to the consolidation of fear extinction. Hormonal contraceptives (HCs) inhibit estrogen production, yet their effects on fear extinction are unknown.