Psychopharmacology
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Bombesin (BB)-like peptides have been shown to affect neuroendocrine and neural functions related to the stress response and the modulation of conditioned fear. In line with this view, central administration of gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP; a mammalian analogue of BB) or its receptor antagonist (D-Tpi6, Leu13 psi[CH2NH]-Leu14) BB(6-14) (RC-3095) modulates conditioned fear. ⋯ It appears that manipulation of GRP at the BLA may influence the expression of learned fear and that these effects preferentially influence contextual versus cue-dependent emotional responses.