Amygdala functional network underlying fear extinction

在这项研究中，我们使用情境恐惧条件反射、即时早期基因的大规模成像和全细胞记录来展示恐惧消退和恢复背后的神经回路，并发现如下结果。(1)恐惧恢复过程中，边缘下皮层神经元活动减少。(2)边缘下皮层的神经可塑性参与了恐惧恢复。(3)恐惧恢复后，边缘下皮层神经元的兴奋性突触电流减少。(4)在恐惧记忆表达过程中，基底外侧杏仁核神经元的一个特定子集是活跃的。(5)恐惧记忆表达过程中活跃的基底外侧杏仁核神经元与其他神经元的投射不同。进一步分析我们识别的神经回路将有助于理解恐惧消退和恢复的细胞机制。

In this study, we used contextual fear conditioning, large-scale imaging with immediate early genes and whole-cell recordings to demonstrate the neuronal circuits underlying fear extinction and reinstatement and found the results described below.(1) The neuronal activity in the infralimbic cortex is decreased during fear reinstatement.(2) Neural plasticity in the infralimbic cortex is involved in fear reinstatement.(3) Excitatory synaptic currents onto infralimbic cortical neurons are reduced with fear reinstatement.(4) A specific subset of basolateral amygdala neurons is active during fear memory expression.(5) The basolateral amygdala neurons that are active during fear memory expression have different projection from the other neurons.Further analysis of our identified neuronal circuits will contribute to understanding the cellular mechanisms underlying fear extinction and reinstatement.