Peer-Reviewed Journal Details
Mandatory Fields
Sarowar T.;Grabrucker A.M.
2020
August
Cells
Rho GTPases in the Amygdala-A Switch for Fears?
Published
1 ()
Optional Fields
amygdala anxiety Cdc42 fear memory GTPase phobia Rac Rho Rich2 synapse
9
9
Fear is a fundamental evolutionary process for survival. However, excess or irrational fear hampers normal activity and leads to phobia. The amygdala is the primary brain region associated with fear learning and conditioning. There, Rho GTPases are molecular switches that act as signaling molecules for further downstream processes that modulate, among others, dendritic spine morphogenesis and thereby play a role in fear conditioning. The three main Rho GTPases-RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42, together with their modulators, are known to be involved in many psychiatric disorders that affect the amygdala's fear conditioning mechanism. Rich2, a RhoGAP mainly for Rac1 and Cdc42, has been studied extensively in such regard. Here, we will discuss these effectors, along with Rich2, as a molecular switch for fears, especially in the amygdala. Understanding the role of Rho GTPases in fear controlling could be beneficial for the development of therapeutic strategies targeting conditions with abnormal fear/anxiety-like behaviors.
2073-4409
10.3390/cells9091972
Grant Details