Ruhee Mehta | 2026 I.S. Symposium
Name: Ruhee Mehta
Title: Role of the Anti-Inflammatory Cytokine IL-10 in Fear Learning
Major: Neuroscience
Pathway: Public Health
Advisor: Amy Jo Stavnezer
PTSD is a debilitating psychological disorder linked to bodily inflammation. Fear learning is a model of PTSD which encompasses acquisition of fear memory and its treatment, exposure therapy. Fear learning is correlated with increases in pro-inflammatory signaling messengers (cytokines) IL-6, TNF-伪 and IFN-饾浘, and decreases in anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10, IL-4 and TGF-尾 in the body. Fear learning modulates cytokines in both the body and brain, and cytokines in the brain can alter fear learning in turn. However, the ability of cytokines in the body to modulate fear memory acquisition and exposure therapy is unknown. This study examines the ability of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in the body to modulate fear memory acquisition and exposure therapy in male and female mice aged 8-12 weeks. IL-10 was administered either before fear memory acquisition, during exposure therapy, or through both processes. Freezing behavior was measured after fear memory acquisition and during exposure therapy. IL-10 administration did not affect fear-induced freezing response or speed of treatment compared to controls. Hence IL-10 in the body did not modulate fear learning and treatment at the dosage and timepoint used in this study in mice. Future studies are required to clarify the role of bodily cytokines in modulating fear learning for use as a potential therapeutic target.
Posted in Symposium 2026 on May 1, 2026.
