Optogenetic activation of presynaptic inputs in lateral amygdala forms associative fear memory.

ABSTRACT: In Pavlovian fear conditioning, the lateral amygdala (LA) has been highlighted as a key brain site for association between sensory cues and aversive stimuli. However, learning-related changes are also found in upstream sensory regions such as thalamus and cortex. To isolate the essential neural circuit components for fear memory association, we tested whether direct activation of presynaptic sensory inputs in LA, without the participation of upstream activity, is sufficient to form fear memory in mice. Photostimulation of axonal projections from the two main auditory brain regions, the medial geniculate nucleus of the thalamus and the secondary auditory cortex, was paired with aversive footshock. Twenty-four hours later the same photostimulation induced robust conditioned freezing and this

SUBMITTER: Kwon JT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4201812 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature