Attention-related Pearce-Kaye-Hall signals in basolateral amygdala require the midbrain dopaminergic system.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Neural activity in basolateral amygdala has recently been shown to reflect surprise or attention as predicted by the Pearce-Kaye-Hall model (PKH)--an influential model of associative learning. Theoretically, a PKH attentional signal originates in prediction errors of the kind associated with phasic firing of dopamine neurons. This requirement for prediction errors, coupled with projections from the midbrain dopamine system into basolateral amygdala, suggests that the PKH signal in amygdala may depend on dopaminergic input.

Methods

To test this, we recorded single unit activity in basolateral amygdala in rats with 6-hydroxydopamine or sham lesions of the ipsilateral midbrain region. Neurons were recorded as the rats performed a task previously used to demonstrate b

SUBMITTER: Esber GR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3465645 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature