Basolateral amygdala input to the medial prefrontal cortex controls obsessive-compulsive disorder-like checking behavior.

ABSTRACT: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects ∼1 to 3% of the world's population. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the excessive checking symptoms in OCD are not fully understood. Using viral neuronal tracing in mice, we found that glutamatergic neurons from the basolateral amygdala (BLA^Glu) project onto both medial prefrontal cortex glutamate (mPFC^Glu) and GABA (mPFC^GABA) neurons that locally innervate mPFC^Glu neurons. Next, we developed an OCD checking mouse model with quinpirole-induced repetitive checking behaviors. This model demonstrated decreased glutamatergic mPFC microcircuit activity regulated by enhanced BLA^Glu inputs. Optical or chemogenetic manipulations of this maladaptive circuitry restored the behavioral response

SUBMITTER: Sun T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6397577 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature