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Palchaudhuri S, Osypenko D, Schneggenburger R. Fear Learning: An Evolving Picture for Plasticity at Synaptic Afferents to the Amygdala. Neuroscientist 2024; 30:87-104. [PMID: 35822657 DOI: 10.1177/10738584221108083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Unraveling the neuronal mechanisms of fear learning might allow neuroscientists to make links between a learned behavior and the underlying plasticity at specific synaptic connections. In fear learning, an innocuous sensory event such as a tone (called the conditioned stimulus, CS) acquires an emotional value when paired with an aversive outcome (unconditioned stimulus, US). Here, we review earlier studies that have shown that synaptic plasticity at thalamic and cortical afferents to the lateral amygdala (LA) is critical for the formation of auditory-cued fear memories. Despite the early progress, it has remained unclear whether there are separate synaptic inputs that carry US information to the LA to act as a teaching signal for plasticity at CS-coding synapses. Recent findings have begun to fill this gap by showing, first, that thalamic and cortical auditory afferents can also carry US information; second, that the release of neuromodulators contributes to US-driven teaching signals; and third, that synaptic plasticity additionally happens at connections up- and downstream of the LA. Together, a picture emerges in which coordinated synaptic plasticity in serial and parallel circuits enables the formation of a finely regulated fear memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shriya Palchaudhuri
- Laboratory of Synaptic Mechanisms, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Denys Osypenko
- Laboratory of Synaptic Mechanisms, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ralf Schneggenburger
- Laboratory of Synaptic Mechanisms, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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2
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Xu R, Zhang YW, Gu Q, Yuan TJ, Fan BQ, Xia JM, Wu JH, Xia Y, Li WX, Han Y. Alteration of neural activity and neuroinflammatory factors in the insular cortex of mice with corneal neuropathic pain. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2023; 22:e12842. [PMID: 36889983 PMCID: PMC10067426 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
Dry eye disease (DED) affects nearly 55% of people worldwide; several studies have proposed that central sensitization and neuroinflammation may contribute to the developing corneal neuropathic pain of DED, while the underlying mechanisms of this contribution remain to be investigated. Excision of extra orbital lacrimal glands established the dry eye model. Corneal hypersensitivity was examined through chemical and mechanical stimulation, and open field test measured the anxiety levels. Restingstate fMRI is a method of functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was performed for anatomical involvement of the brain regions. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) determined brain activity. Immunofluorescence testing and Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were also performed to further validate the findings. Compared with the Sham group, ALFF signals in the supplemental somatosensory area, secondary auditory cortex, agranular insular cortex, temporal association areas, and ectorhinal cortex brain areas were increased in the dry eye group. This change of ALFF in the insular cortex was linked with the increment in corneal hypersensitivity (p < 0.01), c-Fos (p < 0.001), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (p < 0.01), TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β (p < 0.05). In contrast, IL-10 levels (p < 0.05) decreased in the dry eye group. DED-induced corneal hypersensitivity and upregulation of inflammatory cytokines could be blocked by insular cortex injection of Tyrosine Kinase receptor B agonist cyclotraxin-B (p < 0.01) without affecting anxiety levels. Our study reveals that the functional activity of the brain associated with corneal neuropathic pain and neuroinflammation in the insular cortex might contribute to dry eye-related corneal neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu-Wen Zhang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Gu
- Department of Anesthesia, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tian-Jie Yuan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bing-Qian Fan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun-Ming Xia
- Department of Anesthesiology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin-Hong Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Xia
- Department of Anesthesiology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen-Xian Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuan Han
- Department of Anesthesiology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Ojala KE, Staib M, Gerster S, Ruff CC, Bach DR. Inhibiting Human Aversive Memory by Transcranial Theta-Burst Stimulation to the Primary Sensory Cortex. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 92:149-157. [PMID: 35410762 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Predicting adverse events from past experience is fundamental for many biological organisms. However, some individuals suffer from maladaptive memories that impair behavioral control and well-being, e.g., after psychological trauma. Inhibiting the formation and maintenance of such memories would have high clinical relevance. Previous preclinical research has focused on systemically administered pharmacological interventions, which cannot be targeted to specific neural circuits in humans. Here, we investigated the potential of noninvasive neural stimulation on the human sensory cortex in inhibiting aversive memory in a laboratory threat conditioning model. METHODS We build on an emerging nonhuman literature suggesting that primary sensory cortices may be crucially required for threat memory formation and consolidation. Immediately before conditioning innocuous somatosensory stimuli (conditioned stimuli [CS]) to aversive electric stimulation, healthy human participants received continuous theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (cTBS) to individually localized primary somatosensory cortex in either the CS-contralateral (experimental) or CS-ipsilateral (control) hemisphere. We measured fear-potentiated startle to infer threat memory retention on the next day, as well as skin conductance and pupil size during learning. RESULTS After overnight consolidation, threat memory was attenuated in the experimental group compared with the control cTBS group. There was no evidence that this differed between simple and complex CS or that CS identification or initial learning were affected by cTBS. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that cTBS to the primary sensory cortex inhibits threat memory, likely by an impact on postlearning consolidation. We propose that noninvasive targeted stimulation of the sensory cortex may provide a new avenue for interfering with aversive memories in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karita E Ojala
- Computational Psychiatry Research, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Centre Zurich, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Matthias Staib
- Computational Psychiatry Research, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Centre Zurich, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Gerster
- Computational Psychiatry Research, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Christian C Ruff
- Neuroscience Centre Zurich, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland; Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics, Department of Economics, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Dominik R Bach
- Computational Psychiatry Research, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Centre Zurich, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland; Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging and Max-Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
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4
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Luo B, Li J, Liu J, Li F, Gu M, Xiao H, Lei S, Xiao Z. Frequency-Dependent Plasticity in the Temporal Association Cortex Originates from the Primary Auditory Cortex, and Is Modified by the Secondary Auditory Cortex and the Medial Geniculate Body. J Neurosci 2022; 42:5254-5267. [PMID: 35613891 PMCID: PMC9236291 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1481-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain areas that mediate the formation of auditory threat memory and perceptual decisions remain uncertain to date. Candidates include the primary (A1) and secondary (A2) auditory cortex, the medial division of the medial geniculate body (MGm), amygdala, and the temporal association cortex. We used chemogenetic and optogenetic manipulations with in vivo and in vitro patch-clamp recordings to assess the roles of these brain regions in threat memory learning in female mice. We found that conditioned sound (CS) frequency-dependent plasticity resulted in the formation of auditory threat memory in the temporal association cortex. This neural correlated auditory threat memory depended on CS frequency information from A1 glutamatergic subthreshold monosynaptic inputs, CS lateral inhibition from A2 glutamatergic disynaptic inputs, and non-frequency-specific facilitation from MGm glutamatergic monosynaptic inputs. These results indicate that the A2 and MGm work together in an inhibitory-facilitative role.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The ability to recognize specific sounds to avoid predators or seek prey is a useful survival tool. Improving this ability through experiential learning is an added advantage requiring neural plasticity. As an example, humans must learn to distinguish the sound of a car horn, and thus avoid oncoming traffic. Our research discovered that the temporal association cortex can encode this kind of auditory information through tonal receptive field plasticity. In addition, the results revealed the underlying synaptic mechanisms of this process. These results extended our understanding of how meaningful auditory information is processed in an animal's brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingmin Luo
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders of Guangdong Province, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders of Guangdong Province, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Jingpeng Liu
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders of Guangdong Province, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Funi Li
- General Practice Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, Guangdong 528244, China
| | - Miaoqing Gu
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders of Guangdong Province, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Haoran Xiao
- General Practice Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, Guangdong 528244, China
| | - Shujun Lei
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders of Guangdong Province, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Zhongju Xiao
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders of Guangdong Province, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
- General Practice Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, Guangdong 528244, China
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5
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Hanna C, Hamilton J, Arnavut E, Blum K, Thanos PK. Brain Mapping the Effects of Chronic Aerobic Exercise in the Rat Brain Using FDG PET. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12060860. [PMID: 35743644 PMCID: PMC9224807 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12060860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Exercise is a key component to health and wellness and is thought to play an important role in brain activity. Changes in brain activity after exercise have been observed through various neuroimaging techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET). The precise impact of exercise on brain glucose metabolism (BGluM) is still unclear; however, results from PET studies seem to indicate an increase in regional metabolism in areas related to cognition and memory, direction, drive, motor functions, perception, and somatosensory areas in humans. Using PET and the glucose analog [18F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG), we assessed the changes in BGluM between sedentary and chronic exercise in rats. Chronic treadmill exercise treatment demonstrated a significant increase in BGluM activity in the following brain regions: the caudate putamen (striatum), external capsule, internal capsule, deep cerebellar white matter, primary auditory cortex, forceps major of the corpus callosum, postsubiculum, subiculum transition area, and the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus. These brain regions are functionally associated with auditory processing, memory, motor function, and motivated behavior. Therefore, chronic daily treadmill running in rats stimulates BGluM in distinct brain regions. This identified functional circuit provides a map of brain regions for future molecular assessment which will help us understand the biomarkers involved in specific brain regions following exercise training, as this is critical in exploring the therapeutic potential of exercise in the treatment of neurodegenerative disease, traumatic brain injury, and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Hanna
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Clinical Research Institute on Addictions, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biosciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (C.H.); (J.H.); (E.A.)
| | - John Hamilton
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Clinical Research Institute on Addictions, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biosciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (C.H.); (J.H.); (E.A.)
| | - Eliz Arnavut
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Clinical Research Institute on Addictions, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biosciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (C.H.); (J.H.); (E.A.)
| | - Kenneth Blum
- Graduate College, Western University Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA;
| | - Panayotis K. Thanos
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Clinical Research Institute on Addictions, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biosciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (C.H.); (J.H.); (E.A.)
- Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(716)-881-7520
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6
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Neuronal activity in sensory cortex predicts the specificity of learning in mice. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1167. [PMID: 35246528 PMCID: PMC8897443 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28784-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Learning to avoid dangerous signals while preserving normal responses to safe stimuli is essential for everyday behavior and survival. Following identical experiences, subjects exhibit fear specificity ranging from high (specializing fear to only the dangerous stimulus) to low (generalizing fear to safe stimuli), yet the neuronal basis of fear specificity remains unknown. Here, we identified the neuronal code that underlies inter-subject variability in fear specificity using longitudinal imaging of neuronal activity before and after differential fear conditioning in the auditory cortex of mice. Neuronal activity prior to, but not after learning predicted the level of specificity following fear conditioning across subjects. Stimulus representation in auditory cortex was reorganized following conditioning. However, the reorganized neuronal activity did not relate to the specificity of learning. These results present a novel neuronal code that determines individual patterns in learning. The neural mechanisms underpinning the specificity of fear memories remains poorly understood. Here, the authors highlight how neural activity prior to fear learning impacts fear memory specificity.
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7
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Jensen KL, Noes-Holt G, Sørensen AT, Madsen KL. A Novel Peripheral Action of PICK1 Inhibition in Inflammatory Pain. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:750902. [PMID: 34975407 PMCID: PMC8714954 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.750902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is a major healthcare problem that impacts one in five adults across the globe. Current treatment is compromised by dose-limiting side effects including drowsiness, apathy, fatigue, loss of ability to function socially and professionally as well as a high abuse liability. Most of these side effects result from broad suppression of excitatory neurotransmission. Chronic pain states are associated with specific changes in the efficacy of synaptic transmission in the pain pathways leading to amplification of non-noxious stimuli and spontaneous pain. Consequently, a reversal of these specific changes may pave the way for the development of efficacious pain treatment with fewer side effects. We have recently described a high-affinity, bivalent peptide TAT-P4-(C5)2, enabling efficient targeting of the neuronal scaffold protein, PICK1, a key protein in mediating chronic pain sensitization. In the present study, we demonstrate that in an inflammatory pain model, the peptide does not only relieve mechanical allodynia by targeting PICK1 involved in central sensitization, but also by peripheral actions in the inflamed paw. Further, we assess the effects of the peptide on novelty-induced locomotor activity, abuse liability, and memory performance without identifying significant side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrine Louise Jensen
- Molecular Neuropharmacology and Genetics Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | - Kenneth Lindegaard Madsen
- Molecular Neuropharmacology and Genetics Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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8
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East BS, Fleming G, Vervoordt S, Shah P, Sullivan RM, Wilson DA. Basolateral amygdala to posterior piriform cortex connectivity ensures precision in learned odor threat. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21746. [PMID: 34741138 PMCID: PMC8571329 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01320-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Odor perception can both evoke emotional states and be shaped by emotional or hedonic states. The amygdala complex plays an important role in recognition of, and response to, hedonically valenced stimuli, and has strong, reciprocal connectivity with the primary olfactory (piriform) cortex. Here, we used differential odor-threat conditioning in rats to test the role of basolateral amygdala (BLA) input to the piriform cortex in acquisition and expression of learned olfactory threat responses. Using local field potential recordings, we demonstrated that functional connectivity (high gamma band coherence) between the BLA and posterior piriform cortex (pPCX) is enhanced after differential threat conditioning. Optogenetic suppression of activity within the BLA prevents learned threat acquisition, as do lesions of the pPCX prior to threat conditioning (without inducing anosmia), suggesting that both regions are critical for acquisition of learned odor threat responses. However, optogenetic BLA suppression during testing did not impair threat response to the CS+ , but did induce generalization to the CS-. A similar loss of stimulus control and threat generalization was induced by selective optogenetic suppression of BLA input to pPCX. These results suggest an important role for amygdala-sensory cortical connectivity in shaping responses to threatening stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett S East
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, 1 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Gloria Fleming
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Samantha Vervoordt
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Prachi Shah
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Regina M Sullivan
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, 1 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Donald A Wilson
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA.
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, 1 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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9
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Concina G, Renna A, Milano L, Manassero E, Stabile F, Sacchetti B. Expression of IGF-2 Receptor in the Auditory Cortex Improves the Precision of Recent Fear Memories and Maintains Detailed Remote Fear Memories Over Time. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:5381-5395. [PMID: 34145441 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic memories may become less precise over time and lead to the development of fear responses to novel stimuli, a process referred to as time-dependent fear generalization. The conditions that cause the growth of fear generalization over time are poorly understood. Here, we found that, in male rats, the level of discrimination at the early time point contributes to determining whether fear generalization will develop with the passage of time or not, suggesting a link between the precision of recent memory and the stability of remote engrams. We also found that the expression of insulin-like growth factor 2 receptor in layer 2/3 of the auditory cortex is linked to the precision of recent memories and to the stability of remote engrams and the development of fear generalization over time. These findings provide new insights on the neural mechanisms that underlie the time-dependent development of fear generalization that may occur over time after a traumatic event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Concina
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Annamaria Renna
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Luisella Milano
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Eugenio Manassero
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Francesca Stabile
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Benedetto Sacchetti
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
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10
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Absence Makes the Mind Grow Fonder: Reconceptualizing Studies of Safety Learning in Translational Research on Anxiety. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:1-13. [PMID: 33420710 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-020-00855-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Overgeneralized fear (OGF), or indiscriminate fear responses to signals of threat and nonthreat, is a well-studied cognitive mechanism in human anxiety. Anxiety-related OGF has been studied primarily through fear-learning paradigms and conceptualized as overly exaggerated learning of cues signaling imminent threat. However, the role of safety learning in OGF has not only received much less empirical attention but has been fundamentally conceptualized as learning about the absence of threat rather than the presence of safety. As a result, the relative contributions of exaggerated fear learning and weakened safety learning to anxiety-related OGF remain poorly understood, as do the potentially unique biological and behavioral underpinnings of safety learning. The present review outlines these gaps by, first, summarizing animal and human research on safety learning related to anxiety and OGF. Second, we outline innovations in methods to tease apart unique biological and behavioral contributions of safety learning to OGF. Lastly, we describe clinical and treatment implications of this framework for translational research relevant to human anxiety.
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11
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Rotondo EK, Bieszczad KM. Precise memory for pure tones is predicted by measures of learning-induced sensory system neurophysiological plasticity at cortical and subcortical levels. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 27:328-339. [PMID: 32669388 PMCID: PMC7365018 DOI: 10.1101/lm.051318.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite identical learning experiences, individuals differ in the memory formed of those experiences. Molecular mechanisms that control the neurophysiological bases of long-term memory formation might control how precisely the memory formed reflects the actually perceived experience. Memory formed with sensory specificity determines its utility for selectively cueing subsequent behavior, even in novel situations. Here, a rodent model of auditory learning capitalized on individual differences in learning-induced auditory neuroplasticity to identify and characterize neural substrates for sound-specific (vs. general) memory of the training signal's acoustic frequency. Animals that behaviorally revealed a naturally induced signal-"specific" memory exhibited long-lasting signal-specific neurophysiological plasticity in auditory cortical and subcortical evoked responses. Animals with "general" memories did not exhibit learning-induced changes in these same measures. Manipulating a histone deacetylase during memory consolidation biased animals to have more signal-specific memory. Individual differences validated this brain-behavior relationship in both natural and manipulated memory formation, such that the degree of change in sensory cortical and subcortical neurophysiological responses could be used to predict the behavioral precision of memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena K Rotondo
- CLEF Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Kasia M Bieszczad
- CLEF Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
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12
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Antov MI, Plog E, Bierwirth P, Keil A, Stockhorst U. Visuocortical tuning to a threat-related feature persists after extinction and consolidation of conditioned fear. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3926. [PMID: 32127551 PMCID: PMC7054355 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60597-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons in the visual cortex sharpen their orientation tuning as humans learn aversive contingencies. A stimulus orientation (CS+) that reliably predicts an aversive noise (unconditioned stimulus: US) is selectively enhanced in lower-tier visual cortex, while similar unpaired orientations (CS-) are inhibited. Here, we examine in male volunteers how sharpened visual processing is affected by fear extinction learning (where no US is presented), and how fear and extinction memory undergo consolidation one day after the original learning episode. Using steady-state visually evoked potentials from electroencephalography in a fear generalization task, we found that extinction learning prompted rapid changes in orientation tuning: Both conditioned visuocortical and skin conductance responses to the CS+ were strongly reduced. Next-day re-testing (delayed recall) revealed a brief but precise return-of-tuning to the CS+ in visual cortex accompanied by a brief, more generalized return-of-fear in skin conductance. Explorative analyses also showed persistent tuning to the threat cue in higher visual areas, 24 h after successful extinction, outlasting peripheral responding. Together, experience-based changes in the sensitivity of visual neurons show response patterns consistent with memory consolidation and spontaneous recovery, the hallmarks of long-term neural plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin I Antov
- Institute of Psychology, Experimental Psychology II and Biological Psychology, University of Osnabrück, D-49074, Osnabrück, Germany.
| | - Elena Plog
- Institute of Psychology, Experimental Psychology II and Biological Psychology, University of Osnabrück, D-49074, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Philipp Bierwirth
- Institute of Psychology, Experimental Psychology II and Biological Psychology, University of Osnabrück, D-49074, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Andreas Keil
- Department of Psychology and Center for the Study of Emotion and Attention, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
| | - Ursula Stockhorst
- Institute of Psychology, Experimental Psychology II and Biological Psychology, University of Osnabrück, D-49074, Osnabrück, Germany
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13
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Dalmay T, Abs E, Poorthuis RB, Hartung J, Pu DL, Onasch S, Lozano YR, Signoret-Genest J, Tovote P, Gjorgjieva J, Letzkus JJ. A Critical Role for Neocortical Processing of Threat Memory. Neuron 2019; 104:1180-1194.e7. [PMID: 31727549 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 08/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Memory of cues associated with threat is critical for survival and a leading model for elucidating how sensory information is linked to adaptive behavior by learning. Although the brain-wide circuits mediating auditory threat memory have been intensely investigated, it remains unclear whether the auditory cortex is critically involved. Here we use optogenetic activity manipulations in defined cortical areas and output pathways, viral tracing, pathway-specific in vivo 2-photon calcium imaging, and computational analyses of population plasticity to reveal that the auditory cortex is selectively required for conditioning to complex stimuli, whereas the adjacent temporal association cortex controls all forms of auditory threat memory. More temporal areas have a stronger effect on memory and more neurons projecting to the lateral amygdala, which control memory to complex stimuli through a balanced form of population plasticity that selectively supports discrimination of significant sensory stimuli. Thus, neocortical processing plays a critical role in cued threat memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamas Dalmay
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Abs
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | - Jan Hartung
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - De-Lin Pu
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sebastian Onasch
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Yave R Lozano
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, University Hospital Würzburg, 97078 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jérémy Signoret-Genest
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, University Hospital Würzburg, 97078 Würzburg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, 97078 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Philip Tovote
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, University Hospital Würzburg, 97078 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Julijana Gjorgjieva
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany
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14
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Wang H, Chen J, Xu X, Sun WJ, Chen X, Zhao F, Luo MH, Liu C, Guo Y, Xie W, Zhong H, Bai T, Tian Y, Mao Y, Ye C, Tao W, Li J, Farzinpour Z, Li J, Zhou JN, Wang K, He J, Chen L, Zhang Z. Direct auditory cortical input to the lateral periaqueductal gray controls sound-driven defensive behavior. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000417. [PMID: 31469831 PMCID: PMC6742420 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Threatening sounds can elicit a series of defensive behavioral reactions in animals for survival, but the underlying neural substrates are not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate a previously unexplored neural pathway in mice that projects directly from the auditory cortex (ACx) to the lateral periaqueductal gray (lPAG) and controls noise-evoked defensive behaviors. Electrophysiological recordings showed that the lPAG could be excited by a loud noise that induced an escape-like behavior. Trans-synaptic viral tracing showed that a great number of glutamatergic neurons, rather than GABAergic neurons, in the lPAG were directly innervated by those in layer V of the ACx. Activation of this pathway by optogenetic manipulations produced a behavior in mice that mimicked the noise-evoked escape, whereas inhibition of the pathway reduced this behavior. Therefore, our newly identified descending pathway is a novel neural substrate for noise-evoked escape and is involved in controlling the threat-related behavior. Threatening sounds can evoke a defensive behavior in animals to avoid potential harm. This study identifies a novel neural pathway in mice that projects directly from the auditory cortex to the lateral periaqueductal gray and controls defense-like behaviors evoked by a loud noise, supporting the notion that such behaviors are controlled by multiple neural circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haitao Wang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Jiahui Chen
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xiaotong Xu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Wen-Jian Sun
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Fei Zhao
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Min-Hua Luo
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Chunhua Liu
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiping Guo
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wen Xie
- Department of Psychology, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, China
| | - Hui Zhong
- Department of Psychology, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, China
| | - Tongjian Bai
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yanghua Tian
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yu Mao
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Chonghuan Ye
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Wenjuan Tao
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Jie Li
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Zahra Farzinpour
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Juan Li
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Jiang-Ning Zhou
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jufang He
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lin Chen
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- * E-mail: (ZZ); (LC)
| | - Zhi Zhang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- * E-mail: (ZZ); (LC)
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15
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Wang Y, Li Z, Tian Z, Wang X, Li Y, Qin L. Emotional arousal modifies auditory steady state response in the auditory cortex and prefrontal cortex of rats. Stress 2019; 22:492-500. [PMID: 30896270 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2019.1583203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Emotional state has been shown to influence cognitive performance. However, the influence of mood on auditory processing is not fully understood. The auditory steady state response (ASSR) is the entrainment of neural activities elicited by periodic auditory stimulation, which is commonly used to evaluate the sensory and cognitive functions of brain. It has been shown that ASSR at 40 Hz is impaired at some psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The primary goal of this study is to investigate the effect of emotional arousal on ASSR. To this end, we performed simultaneous recordings of local field potential (LFP) in response to 40 Hz click-train stimuli in the primary auditory cortex (A1) and medial prefront cortex (mPFC) of rats. During the electrophysiological recording, a negative mood was induced by means of the foot shocks occurred randomly in the inter-stimulus intervals. We found that both the power and phase-locking of ASSR in A1 were significantly increased under arousal condition, and phase-locking of ASSR in mPFC was also increased. The enhanced ASSRs were accompanied by an increase in coherence between A1 and mPFC. Our results suggest that A1-to-mPFC information transfer is enhanced under arousal state and the functional connectivity between mPFC and A1 may contribute to the emotional modulation of auditory process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchen Wang
- a Department of Physiology, School of Life Science , China Medical University , Shenyang , Liaoning Province , P. R. China
| | - Zijie Li
- a Department of Physiology, School of Life Science , China Medical University , Shenyang , Liaoning Province , P. R. China
| | - Zemin Tian
- a Department of Physiology, School of Life Science , China Medical University , Shenyang , Liaoning Province , P. R. China
| | - Xuejiao Wang
- a Department of Physiology, School of Life Science , China Medical University , Shenyang , Liaoning Province , P. R. China
| | - Yingzhuo Li
- a Department of Physiology, School of Life Science , China Medical University , Shenyang , Liaoning Province , P. R. China
| | - Ling Qin
- a Department of Physiology, School of Life Science , China Medical University , Shenyang , Liaoning Province , P. R. China
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16
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Concina G, Renna A, Grosso A, Sacchetti B. The auditory cortex and the emotional valence of sounds. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 98:256-264. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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17
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Reddan MC, Wager TD, Schiller D. Attenuating Neural Threat Expression with Imagination. Neuron 2018; 100:994-1005.e4. [PMID: 30465766 PMCID: PMC6314478 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.10.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 10/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Imagination is an internal simulation of real-life events and a common treatment tool for anxiety disorders; however, the neural processes by which imagination exerts behavioral control are unclear. This investigation tests whether and how imagined exposures to a threatening stimulus, conditioned in the real world, influence neural and physiological manifestations of threat. We found that imagined and real extinction are equally effective in the reduction of threat-related neural patterns and physiological responses elicited upon re-exposure to real-world threatening cues. Network connectivity during the extinction phase showed that imagined, like real, extinction engaged the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) as a central hub. vmPFC, primary auditory cortex, and amygdala activation during imagined and real extinction were predictive of individual differences in extinction success. The nucleus accumbens, however, predicted extinction success in the imagined extinction group alone. We conclude that deliberate imagination can attenuate reactions to threat through perceptual and associative learning mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Cumella Reddan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Tor Dessart Wager
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA.
| | - Daniela Schiller
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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18
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Concina G, Cambiaghi M, Renna A, Sacchetti B. Coherent Activity between the Prelimbic and Auditory Cortex in the Slow-Gamma Band Underlies Fear Discrimination. J Neurosci 2018; 38:8313-8328. [PMID: 30093537 PMCID: PMC6596172 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0540-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex and the basolateral amygdala (BLA) are essential for discriminating between harmful and safe stimuli. The primary auditory cortex (Te1) sends projections to both sites, but whether and how it interacts with these areas during fear discrimination are poorly understood. Here we show that in male rats that can differentiate between a new tone and a threatening one, the selective optogenetic inhibition of Te1 axon terminals into the prelimbic (PL) cortex shifted discrimination to fear generalization. Meanwhile, no effects were detected when Te1 terminals were inhibited in the BLA. Using a combination of local field potential and multiunit recordings, we show that in animals that discriminate successfully between a new tone and a harmful one, the activity of the Te1 and the PL cortex becomes immediately and tightly synchronized in the slow-gamma range (40-70 Hz) at the onset of the new tone. This enhanced synchronization was not present in other frequency ranges, such as the theta range. Critically, the level of gamma synchrony predicted the behavioral choice (i.e., no freezing or freezing) of the animals. Moreover, in the same rats, gamma synchrony was absent before the fear-learning trial and when animals should discriminate between an olfactory stimulus and the auditory harmful one. Thus, our findings reveal that the Te1 and the PL cortex dynamically establish a functional connection during auditory fear-discrimination processes, and that this corticocortical oscillatory mechanism drives the behavioral choice of the animals.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Identifying neural networks that infer safety versus danger is of great interest in the scientific field. Fear generalization reduces the chances of an animal's survival and leads to psychiatric diseases, such as post-traumatic stress disorders and phobias in humans. Here we demonstrate that animals able to differentiate a new tone from a previous threating tone showed synchronization between the prefrontal and primary auditory cortices. Critically, this connectivity precedes and predicts the behavioral outcome of the animal. Optogenetic inhibition of this functional connectivity leads to fear generalization. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate that a corticocortical dialogue occurring between sensory and prefrontal areas is a key node for fear-discrimination processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Concina
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy, and
| | - Marco Cambiaghi
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy, and
| | - Annamaria Renna
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy, and
| | - Benedetto Sacchetti
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy, and
- National Institute of Neuroscience-Turin, I-10125, Turin, Italy
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19
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Schleyer M, Fendt M, Schuller S, Gerber B. Associative Learning of Stimuli Paired and Unpaired With Reinforcement: Evaluating Evidence From Maggots, Flies, Bees, and Rats. Front Psychol 2018; 9:1494. [PMID: 30197613 PMCID: PMC6117914 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Finding rewards and avoiding punishments are powerful goals of behavior. To maximize reward and minimize punishment, it is beneficial to learn about the stimuli that predict their occurrence, and decades of research have provided insight into the brain processes underlying such associative reinforcement learning. In addition, it is well known in experimental psychology, yet often unacknowledged in neighboring scientific disciplines, that subjects also learn about the stimuli that predict the absence of reinforcement. Here we evaluate evidence for both these learning processes. We focus on two study cases that both provide a baseline level of behavior against which the effects of associative learning can be assessed. Firstly, we report pertinent evidence from Drosophila larvae. A re-analysis of the literature reveals that through paired presentations of an odor A and a sugar reward (A+) the animals learn that the reward can be found where the odor is, and therefore show an above-baseline preference for the odor. In contrast, through unpaired training (A/+) the animals learn that the reward can be found precisely where the odor is not, and accordingly these larvae show a below-baseline preference for it (the same is the case, with inverted signs, for learning through taste punishment). In addition, we present previously unpublished data demonstrating that also during a two-odor, differential conditioning protocol (A+/B) both these learning processes take place in larvae, i.e., learning about both the rewarded stimulus A and the non-rewarded stimulus B (again, this is likewise the case for differential conditioning with taste punishment). Secondly, after briefly discussing published evidence from adult Drosophila, honeybees, and rats, we report an unpublished data set showing that relative to baseline behavior after truly random presentations of a visual stimulus A and punishment, rats exhibit memories of opposite valence upon paired and unpaired training. Collectively, the evidence conforms to classical findings in experimental psychology and suggests that across species animals associatively learn both through paired and through unpaired presentations of stimuli with reinforcement – with opposite valence. While the brain mechanisms of unpaired learning for the most part still need to be uncovered, the immediate implication is that using unpaired procedures as a mnemonically neutral control for associative reinforcement learning may be leading analyses astray.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Schleyer
- Department Genetics of Learning and Memory, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Markus Fendt
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Schuller
- Department Genetics of Learning and Memory, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Bertram Gerber
- Department Genetics of Learning and Memory, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany.,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany.,Behavior Genetics, Institute for Biology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
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20
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Norbury A, Robbins TW, Seymour B. Value generalization in human avoidance learning. eLife 2018; 7:34779. [PMID: 29735014 PMCID: PMC5957527 DOI: 10.7554/elife.34779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Generalization during aversive decision-making allows us to avoid a broad range of potential threats following experience with a limited set of exemplars. However, over-generalization, resulting in excessive and inappropriate avoidance, has been implicated in a variety of psychological disorders. Here, we use reinforcement learning modelling to dissect out different contributions to the generalization of instrumental avoidance in two groups of human volunteers (N = 26, N = 482). We found that generalization of avoidance could be parsed into perceptual and value-based processes, and further, that value-based generalization could be subdivided into that relating to aversive and neutral feedback - with corresponding circuits including primary sensory cortex, anterior insula, amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Further, generalization from aversive, but not neutral, feedback was associated with self-reported anxiety and intrusive thoughts. These results reveal a set of distinct mechanisms that mediate generalization in avoidance learning, and show how specific individual differences within them can yield anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes Norbury
- Computational and Biological Learning Laboratory, Department of EngineeringUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom,Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience InstituteUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Ben Seymour
- Computational and Biological Learning Laboratory, Department of EngineeringUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom,Center for Information and Neural NetworksNational Institute of Information and Communications TechnologySuita CityJapan
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