Figure 2

Prelimbic cortex ensembles encoding fear regulate fear expression. The experimental timeline and groups for behavioral experiments (a) included fear conditioning (FC) (or no-shock controls, NS) followed by TRAP+ (4-OHT) or TRAP- (vehicle) injections, and 28 d later, a memory retrieval test with CNO. Freezing (b) and conditioned suppression of food seeking (c) were measured as indices of conditioned fear. Freezing to context (d) and tone (e) as well as suppression of food seeking (g) were measured after ensemble-inhibition on the d 28 memory retrieval test. The fear-reducing effect of the TRAP-Gi-DREADD on suppression index was apparent only in females (g), not males (h). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 treatment effect (b–e); *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 Tukey’s post-hocs (e–h).