Fear response and brain activation in adolescent rats infused with muscimol or vehicle in mPFC. A, Percentage time freezing in adolescent rats infused with vehicle or muscimol in the infralimbic and prelimbic mPFC and exposed to a nonthreatening female or threatening cat odor (mean ± SEM). There were no significant differences for rats infused in the infralimbic mPFC, but when infused into the prelimbic mPFC, freezing to the cat was significantly reduced. B, Number of FOS-positive cells in the amygdala and PAG of adolescent rats injected with vehicle or muscimol into infralimbic or prelimbic mPFC and exposed to a nonthreatening female or threatening cat odor. Mean ± SEM. FOS expression was selectively reduced in the vPAG only by prelimbic infusion. n = 6–8 in each condition. C, Cannula placement in infralimbic (left) and prelimbic (right) mPFC of adolescent rats. Open circles represent the location of cannula tips in rats infused with vehicle, and filled circles represent the location of cannula tips in rats infused with muscimol. Numbers indicate the distance in millimeters from bregma. ***p < 0.001.