Paraventricular thalamus hyperactivity mediates stress-induced sensitization of unlearned fear but not stress-enhanced fear learning (SEFL) (opens in new tab)

Exposure to stress can cause long-lasting enhancement of fear and other defensive responses that extend beyond the cues or contexts associated with the original traumatic event. These nonassociative consequences of stress, referred to as fear sensitization, are thought to underlie some symptoms of trauma-related disorders. Fear sensitization has been predominantly studied using the stress-enhanced fear learning (SEFL) paradigm, which models the stress-induced amplification of fear learning. L...