# Genetic dissection of neural circuits underlying trauma, fear, and social behavior

> **NIH NIH R00** · UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · 2020 · $249,000

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Fear is imperative to survival. As such, the brain has developed powerful and highly effective
neural circuits that are capable of rapidly and flexibly organizing fear behaviors in response to
threat. For this reason, when fears are formed inappropriately or expressed excessively, the
consequences can be highly detrimental. This is exemplified by anxiety disorders such as post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), wherein following an extremely traumatic event, animals
become highly sensitized and susceptible to the development and expression of a number of
maladaptive behaviors. In contrast to adaptive associative fear memories or even specific
phobias, the neural mechanisms underlying non-associative fear sensitization are poorly
understood. In the research proposed here, we aim to investigate the neural circuits underlying
trauma as well as trauma-induced enhancements in fear learning, elevated aggression, and
disrupted sexual behavior. Aim 1 will combine cell-type specific functional manipulations with in
depth behavioral analyses to examine the role of the dorsal bed nucleus of the stria terminalis
(dBNST) in trauma. Genetically defined and anatomically restricted access to the dBNST will
be obtained using Tac2-Cre mice and Cre-dependent viruses encoding optogenetic and
chemogenetic effectors. Aim 2 will further dissect the unique microcircuits that control each
trauma-induced behavioral phenotype by selectively manipulating and recording from
downstream structures receiving Tac2+ dBNST input using optogenetics, CLARITY and fiber
photometry. Building upon the tools and information obtained from Aims 1 and 2, Aim 3 will turn
upstream, investigating the role of medial prefrontal cortex inputs onto dBNST Tac2+ cells and
the ability for these inputs to exert top-down control of trauma and associated behaviors.
Collectively, these aims will help to elucidate the neural circuitry that controls the fear-sensitized
brain.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9978917
- **Project number:** 5R00MH108734-04
- **Recipient organization:** UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
- **Principal Investigator:** Moriel Zelikowsky
- **Activity code:** R00 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $249,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-07-16 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9978917

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9978917, Genetic dissection of neural circuits underlying trauma, fear, and social behavior (5R00MH108734-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9978917. Licensed CC0.

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