Mineralocorticoid receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus mediate rats' unconditioned fear behaviour

► Mineralocorticosteroid receptors (MRs) in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus, and medial prefrontal cortex, mediate rats' unconditioned fear. ► Only MRs in the ventral hippocampus mediate rats' unconditioned fear of open spaces in the elevated plus-maze. ► In spite of the role of the hippocampus in spatial memory and contextual fear, hippocampal MRs did not mediate memory of the shock-probe.