Fear generalization immediately after contextual fear memory consolidation in mice

Fear generalization is a symptom of anxiety-related disorders, including acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Using a contextual fear conditioning paradigm, we found that mice exposed to a similar neutral context but not a different neutral context soon after training showed fear generalization immediately after contextual fear memory consolidation (i.e., 6 h after training). This fear generalization was reflected by a change not only in the total amount but also the pattern of freezing between conditioned and generalized contexts. These results provide insight into the factors that influence fear generalization and can facilitate future studies investigating the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of anxiety-related disorders. •Some people exhibit traumatic stress responses immediately after experiencing a traumatic event.•Context exposure induces fear generalization immediately after memory consolidation.•Fear generalization is reflected by both the total amount and pattern of freezing.