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Follow on Google News | Don't fear! News from the field of fear and anxiety researchBy: Austrian Science Fund FWF Fear extinction is a classical method used in anxiety therapy: memories of negative – anxiety-producing – experiences can be "overwritten" Acetylation countering anxiety Singewald's team focussed specifically on epigenetic effects, i.e. changes in the genome that are acquired in the course of life. Specifically, the team investigated a chemical change (acetylation) Scaredy cats among the mice Singewald's team used a special mouse strain (129S1/SvlmJ) Orphan receptors The team showed that, following histone acetylation, specific genes are recruited for fear extinction. "In fact, we revealed that for fixing of impaired extinction the involvement of certain genes and their gene products known to influence the plasticity of nerve endings, or synapses is important. We also discovered a number of genes for hitherto unknown receptors to play a role. The search for compounds that could interact with these receptors is now ongoing," says Singewald, explaining the results. Other molecular players suspected of influencing fear extinction were discovered in further studies, namely specific RNAs. These molecules are usually responsible for translating the genetic code into protein structures. However, it has long been known that some RNAs have other functions as well. It was precisely such RNAs (ncRNAs and miRNAs) that Singewald and his cooperation partners within the SFB found to be involved in facilitating fear extinction. Therapeutic concept The team found that receptors activated by classical neurotransmitters such as dopamine are also involved and formulated an approach to treating impaired extinction that may be beneficial in humans. "To investigate this therapeutic concept, we took advantage of the fact that an approved drug (for Parkinson's disease) exists that has an activating effect on dopamine-dependent signaling pathways," Singewald says. Together with international colleagues, the team obtained convincing results. "We were able to show in both mice as well as in healthy humans that this therapeutic concept had sustained fear-inhibiting effects," Singewald reports. The results of the FWF project indicate that the augmentation of certain cellular and (epi)genetic processes could offer new approaches to the treatment of fear and anxiety. This could provide hope for more effective treatment of pathological fear in the future for individuals in whom treatment concepts based on fear extinction, e.g. exposure therapy, do not work optimally. Scientific Contact: Prof. Nicolas Singewald Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology University of Innsbruck Innrain 80/82 6020 Innsbruck, Austria T +43 / 512 / 507 - 58802 E Nicolas.Singewald@ W http://www.uibk.ac.at/ Austrian Science Fund FWF: Marc Seumenicht Haus der Forschung Sensengasse 1 1090 Vienna, Austria T +43 / 1 / 505 67 40 - 8111 E marc.seumenicht@ W http://www.fwf.ac.at/ Copy Editing & Distribution: PR&D – Public Relations for Research & Education Mariannengasse 8 1090 Vienna, Austria T +43 / 1 / 505 70 44 E contact@prd.at W http://www.prd.at/ End
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