# Mapping mesocortical contributions to estrous-dependent learning processes

> **NIH NIH R21** · NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $58,990

## Abstract

Summary
Women are twice as likely as men to develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after a trauma, but the
neurobiological basis for this discrepancy is poorly understood. While there is a great deal of evidence that
trauma itself can impact the male and female brain in discrete ways, less attention has been paid to the
potential for PTSD treatments to work in a sex-dependent manner. A better understanding of the mechanisms
that specifically mediate PTSD recovery in women could lead to improved therapeutics and a higher success
rate for symptom reduction. In particular, the neural processes by which ovarian hormones modulate extinction
learning represent a promising area of focus. Here, we will investigate the influence of circulating estrogen on
the structure and function of neural circuitry connecting the ventral tegmental area (VTA), infralimbic area (IL)
of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and basolateral area of the amygdala (BLA) in rats. We propose a
system by which high estrogen states facilitate IL-BLA connectivity and enhanced extinction retention through
upstream modulation of VTA-IL DA release during extinction learning. To test this hypothesis, we will use a
combination of neuroanatomical tracers, intersectional viral techniques, and 3D reconstructions, thereby
defining fear extinction-associated neural activity and plasticity across the estrous cycle. This work will result in
a multi-synaptic map of extinction circuitry in the female brain, potentially identifying novel mechanisms by
which estrogen can modulate learning processes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9986986
- **Project number:** 3R21MH120546-01S1
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** REBECCA M SHANSKY
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $58,990
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-07-01 → 2021-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9986986

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9986986, Mapping mesocortical contributions to estrous-dependent learning processes (3R21MH120546-01S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9986986. Licensed CC0.

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