Review
Biology
Tayebeh Sepahvand, Kyron D. Power, Tian Qin, Qi Yuan
Summary: Through the study of threat conditioning, extinction, and second-order threat conditioning in animal models, insights have been gained into the brain-based mechanisms of fear- and anxiety-related disorders and their treatment. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) has received much attention in these processes, and this review provides an overview of its role. Recent evidence suggests that the BLA serves as the core of a greater network of structures, including associative and sensory cortices, in these forms of learning. The BLA is regulated by inputs from the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, as well as by neuromodulators such as norepinephrine and dopamine, which may contribute important learning signals to these processes. The sensory cortices may play a crucial role in the long-term storage of threat memories, and further research can explore their potential in the storage of extinction and second-order conditioning memories.
Article
Neurosciences
Shu-Shan Hua, Jin-Jun Ding, Tian-Cheng Sun, Chen Guo, Ying Zhang, Zi-Hui Yu, Yi-Qing Cao, Lin -Hong Zhong, Yu Wu, Lu-Ying Guo, Jian-Hong Luo, Yi-Hui Cui, Shuang Qiu
Summary: This study shows that the adaptor protein APPL1 plays a role in fear extinction retrieval by controlling NMDA receptor-dependent potentiation in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. The research also reveals that APPL1 undergoes nuclear translocation during extinction retrieval. Additionally, a specific neuronal ensemble in the prefrontal cortex is necessary and sufficient for the storage of extinction memory, and APPL1 signaling supports these neurons in retrieving extinction memory by controlling NMDAR-dependent potentiation.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Rongzhen Yan, Tianyu Wang, Xiaoyan Ma, Xinyang Zhang, Rui Zheng, Qiang Zhou
Summary: The probabilistic association between cause and effect plays a crucial role in memory formation, especially in psychiatric diseases. Research shows that 50% association between conditioned and unconditioned stimuli can reduce fear responses and neural spiking activity in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. The formation of probabilistic memory involves enhanced inhibition from PV-neurons, increased synaptic inputs, and activation of the ventral hippocampus to detect mismatch during conditioning. Stress can impair the formation of probabilistic memory by affecting PV-neuronal plasticity, while prior stress to memory retrieval can revert enhanced PV-neuron activity.
Article
Neurosciences
Muhammad Asim, Huajie Wang, Xi Chen, Jufang He
Summary: This study investigates the role of basolateral amygdala (BLA) neurons in mediating the behavior associated with depression. The results suggest that increased activity of excitatory BLA neurons can lead to depressive-like behavior, while inhibition of these neurons can alleviate such behavior. Additionally, inhibiting GABAergic neurons in the BLA can increase the firing frequency of excitatory neurons and mediate depressive-like phenotypes. Furthermore, activating inhibitory neurons can inhibit the activity of excitatory neurons and alleviate depressive-like behavior.
CNS NEUROSCIENCE & THERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Einat Elharrar, Yahav Dikshtein, Sapir Meninger-Mordechay, Yehuda Lichtenstein, Gal Yadid
Summary: Recent research shows that inhibiting PARP-1 activity can interfere with fear conditioning and reduce freezing behavior. By controlling the pharmacokinetic timing, it is possible to specifically disrupt cue-associated fear memories without interfering with other natural memories.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Daymara Merceron-Martinez, William Almaguer-Melian, Jorge A. Bergado
Summary: Synaptic plasticity is crucial for learning and memory, and impaired plasticity can lead to memory deficits. Stimulation of the basolateral amygdala post-training can improve spatial learning and memory in lesioned rats by influencing the expression of plasticity-related genes in memory-associated brain regions. Both trained and BLA-stimulated lesioned rats showed significantly improved LTP in the dentate gyrus compared to non-trained lesioned rats, indicating a potential mechanism for ameliorating memory deficits.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Yeji Lee, Jung-Pyo Oh, Jin-Hee Han
Summary: Research shows that thalamic and cortical inputs to the lateral amygdala play different roles in the consolidation of long-term fear memory during early post-learning periods. Selective inhibition of thalamic input impairs consolidation of auditory fear memory, while selective inhibition of cortical input disrupts remote fear memory without affecting recent memory.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel Jercog, Nanci Winke, Kibong Sung, Mario Martin Fernandez, Claire Francioni, Domitille Rajot, Julien Courtin, Fabrice Chaudun, Pablo E. Jercog, Stephane Valerio, Cyril Herry
Summary: The study found that threat representations and avoidance behavior initiation are dynamically encoded in the overall population activity of dmPFC neurons in mice. While dmPFC population activity at stimulus onset encodes sustained threat representations driven by the amygdala, it does not predict action outcome. Transient dmPFC population activity before the initiation of action reliably predicts avoided from non-avoided trials, revealing the dynamic process of information linking threats with defensive actions within prefrontal networks.
Article
Neurosciences
Hui-dong Li, Dan-ni Li, Li Yang, Cheng Long
Summary: The Cyld gene mutation in mice impairs amygdala-dependent tone-cued fear memory and may be related to aberrant neuronal activation and reduced excitability in the BLA.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jasmin A. Strickland, Michael A. McDannald
Summary: When faced with potential threat, the brain estimates its probability, responds accordingly, and updates future estimates based on experience. This study used Neuropixels probes to record single-unit activity in different brainstem regions of rats and found that a dorsal hub in the brainstem network signaled threat probability. During the outcome period, neuronal function remapping occurred, leading to brainstem networks that signaled prediction error and shock on multiple timescales.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Felix H. Klaassen, Leslie Held, Bernd Figner, Jill X. O'Reilly, Floris Klumpers, Lycia D. de Voogd, Karin Roelofs
Summary: Successful responding to acutely threatening situations requires adequate approach-avoidance decisions. However, the impact of threat-induced states, like freezing-related bradycardia, on decision-making remains unclear. This study found that individual action-tendencies and bradycardia influenced choice behavior under threat. Threat-related bradycardia interacted with subjective value, depending on the action-context, affecting decision-making.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Andrew Lutas, Kayla Fernando, Stephen X. Zhang, Abhijeet Sambangi, Mark L. Andermann
Summary: Dopaminergic inputs to basal amygdala play a crucial role in the learning process, which is regulated by intracellular plasticity signals like cAMP. The dynamics of dopamine and cAMP may regulate the learning of temporally clustered, salient stimuli.
Article
Neurosciences
Mario Martin-Fernandez, Ana Paula Menegolla, Guillem Lopez-Fernandez, Nanci Winke, Daniel Jercog, Ha-Rang Kim, Delphine Girard, Cyril Dejean, Cyril Herry
Summary: Behavioral adaptation requires encoding both the global representation of danger and the specific threatening encounters. The prefrontal cortex plays a crucial role in controlling threat-related behaviors.
NATURE NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Belinda P. P. Lay, Eisuke Koya, Bruce T. Hope, Guillem R. Esber, Mihaela D. Iordanova
Summary: Adaptive behavior relies on the delicate balance between acquisition and extinction memories. Disruption of this balance can lead to treatment failure for maladaptive behaviors. Understanding the neurobiology underlying this balance is crucial for developing effective treatments.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Justine Fam, Billy Chieng, R. Frederick Westbrook, Vincent Laurent, Nathan M. Holmes
Summary: This study investigated how animals process contradictory information by conducting second-order fear conditioning in rats. The results showed that the brain is capable of encoding competing associations in different brain regions to resolve the contradiction.
Article
Neurosciences
Daniel G. Ehlinger, Julian C. Burke, Craig G. Mcdonald, Robert F. Smith, Hadley C. Bergstrom
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Nicholas Chaaya, Andrew R. Battle, Luke R. Johnson
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2018)
Article
Cell Biology
Hadley C. Bergstrom, Anna M. Lipkin, Abby G. Lieberman, Courtney R. Pinard, Ozge Gunduz-Cinar, Emma T. Brockway, William W. Taylor, Mio Nonaka, Olena Bukalo, Tiffany A. Wills, F. Javier Rubio, Xuan Li, Charles L. Pickens, Danny G. Winder, Andrew Holmes
Editorial Material
Neurosciences
Eric M. Prager, Karen E. Chambers, Joshua L. Plotkin, David L. McArthur, Anita E. Bandrowski, Nidhi Bansal, Maryann E. Martone, Hadley C. Bergstrom, Anton Bespalov, Chris Graf
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH
(2019)
Article
Neurosciences
Angela Jacques, Nicholas Chaaya, Chiemi Hettiarachchi, Marie-Louise Carmody, Kate Beecher, Arnauld Belmer, Fatemeh Chehrehasa, Selena Bartlett, Andrew R. Battle, Luke R. Johnson
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Neurosciences
Angela Jacques, Alison Wright, Nicholas Chaaya, Anne Overell, Hadley C. Bergstrom, Craig McDonald, Andrew R. Battle, Luke R. Johnson
FRONTIERS IN NEURAL CIRCUITS
(2018)
Editorial Material
Behavioral Sciences
Eric M. Prager, Karen E. Chambers, Joshua L. Plotkin, David L. McArthur, Anita E. Bandrowski, Nidhi Bansal, Maryann E. Martone, Hadley C. Bergstrom, Anton Bespalov, Chris Graf
BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR
(2019)
Article
Neurosciences
Nicholas Chaaya, Angela Jacques, Arnauld Belmer, Kate Beecher, Syed A. Ali, Fatemeh Chehrehasa, Andrew R. Battle, Luke R. Johnson, Selena E. Bartlett
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2019)
Review
Neurosciences
Marziah Hakim, Andrew R. Battle, Arnauld Belmer, Selena E. Bartlett, Luke R. Johnson, Fatemeh Chehrehasa
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2019)
Review
Neurosciences
Luke R. Johnson, Andrew R. Battle, Boris Martinac
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2019)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Haruka Kitamura, Patrick Johnston, Luke Johnson, Esben Strodl
NEUROBIOLOGY OF LEARNING AND MEMORY
(2020)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Sanket B. Raut, Padmaja A. Marathe, Liza van Eijk, Rajaraman Eri, Manoj Ravindran, David M. Benedek, Robert J. Ursano, Juan J. Canales, Luke R. Johnson
Summary: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic debilitating condition in need of new treatment options. Early evidence suggests the beneficial effects of psychedelics in combination with psychotherapy for managing PTSD. Research into memory reconsolidation mechanisms has identified pharmacological targets to disrupt abnormally persistent memories. Novel therapeutic approaches like neuropeptide Y, oxytocin, etc., have also shown potential for PTSD treatment.
PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Hadley C. Bergstrom, Abby G. Lieberman, Carolyn Graybeal, Anna M. Lipkin, Andrew Holmes
Article
Neurosciences
Gabrielle A. Pollack, Jessica L. Bezek, Serena H. Lee, Miranda J. Scarlata, Leah T. Weingast, Hadley C. Bergstrom
Article
Substance Abuse
Nicholas J. Jury, Gabrielle A. Pollack, Meredith J. Ward, Jessica L. Bezek, Alexandra J. Ng, Courtney R. Pinard, Hadley C. Bergstrom, Andrew Holmes
ALCOHOLISM-CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
(2017)