AMYGDALAR ACTIVATION OF GROUP I METABOTROPIC GLUTAMATE RECEPTORS PRODUCES ANTI- AND PRO-CONFLICT EFFECTS DEPENDING UPON ANIMAL SEX IN A SEXUALLY DIMORPHIC CONDITIONED CONFLICT-BASED ANXIETY MODEL.

•We studied the role of group I mGluRs within the BLA according to sex and estradiol levels in females rats using conditioned conflict-based anxiety model.•DHPG produced sex specific effects: anti-conflict effects in OVX female rats and pro-conflict effects male rats.•Sex differences were detected, displaying OVX female rats more conflict than male rats.•Behavioral sex differences were enhanced by estradiol in OVX+EB female rats.•Western Blot experiments detected that mGlu1 but not mGlu5 receptors protein was differentially expressed in the amygdala of OVX+EB, OVX and male rats.