Fear and safety engage competing patterns of theta-gamma coupling in the basolateral amygdala.

ABSTRACT: Theta oscillations synchronize the basolateral amygdala (BLA) with the hippocampus (HPC) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) during fear expression. The role of gamma-frequency oscillations in the BLA is less well characterized. We examined gamma- and theta-frequency activity in recordings of neural activity from the BLA-HPC-mPFC circuit during fear conditioning, extinction, and exposure to an open field. In the BLA, slow (40-70 Hz) and fast (70-120 Hz) gamma oscillations were coupled to distinct phases of the theta cycle and reflected synchronous high-frequency unit activity. During periods of fear, BLA theta-fast gamma coupling was enhanced, while fast gamma power was suppressed. Periods of relative safety were associated with enhanced BLA fast gamma power, mPFC-to-BLA directionality, an

SUBMITTER: Stujenske JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4141236 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature