Representation of ethological events by basolateral amygdala neurons.

ABSTRACT: The accurate interpretation of ethologically relevant stimuli is crucial for survival. While basolateral amygdala (BLA) neuronal responses during fear conditioning are well studied, little is known about how BLA neurons respond during naturalistic events. We recorded from the rat BLA during interaction with ethological stimuli: male or female rats, a moving toy, and rice. Forty-two percent of the cells reliably respond to at least one stimulus, with over half of these exclusively identifying one of the four stimulus classes. In addition to activation during interaction with their preferred stimulus, these cells signal micro-behavioral interactions like social contact. After stimulus removal, firing activity persists in 30% of responsive cells for several minutes. At the micro-circuit level

SUBMITTER: Mazuski C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9638002 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature