Similar effect of CRF and CRF receptor in the basolateral or central nuclei of the amygdala on tonic immobility behavior.

Studies have used paradigms based on animal models to understand human emotional behavior because they appear to be correlated with fear- and anxiety-related defensive patterns in non-human mammals. In this context, tonic immobility (TI) behavior is an innate response associated with extreme threat situations, such as predator attack. Some reports have demonstrated the involvement of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in regulation of the endocrine system, defensive behaviors and behavioral responses to stress. Particularly, a previous study showed that the activation of CRF receptors in the basolateral (BLA) or central (CeA) nuclei of the amygdala increased TI responses, whereas treatment with a non-selective CRF antagonist, alpha-helical-CRF, decreased this innate fear response. However, while CRF receptors have pronounced effects in stress-induced anxiety, CRF receptors appear be involved in the expression of both stress-induced anxiety and spontaneous anxiety behavior. In this study, we investigated the effects of specific CRF receptors, CRF and CRF, in the BLA and CeA on the duration of TI in guinea pigs. The results show that blockade of CRF and CRF receptors in the BLA and CeA produces a decrease in fear and/or anxiety, as suggested by a decrease in TI duration in the guinea pigs. Additionally, the specific antagonists for CRF and CRF receptors were able to prevent the increase in TI duration induced by CRF administration at the same sites. These results suggest that the modulation of fear and anxiety by the CRF system in the BLA and CeA occurs through concomitant effects on CRF and CRF receptors.