The Role of Neuronal Ensembles Supporting Auditory Fear Conditioning (Engrams) in the Amygdala in Memory Formation, Generalization and Extinction

项目总结/摘要 记忆可以被定义为随着时间的推移，通过以下方式获得的内部表征的保留 经验，以及在以后重建这些表征的能力（Dudai 2007）。 这些内部表征被认为是由持久的物理大脑编码的 变化（记忆痕迹或“痕迹”）（Josselyn，科勒& Frankland 2015，2017; Tonegawa等人 al. 2015; Schacter 2001）。记住引起恐惧的事件是适应性的;它有助于一个人 未来的选择基于过去的经验。它甚至可能是有益的概括一些可怕的 回忆然而，过度的恐惧泛化或将不再具有威胁性的刺激视为 危险可能是适应不良。事实上，反复出现或不恰当地表达恐惧， 记忆是几种精神疾病的主要组成部分，包括创伤后 应激障碍（PTSD）和焦虑。因此，了解记忆如何追踪恐惧 事件的形成，随时间的推移而变化，在什么条件下它们保持特殊性或普遍性， 以及它们是如何受到行为灭绝的影响是关键问题， 了解大脑如何使用信息，同时也为新事物的发展提供信息。 治疗/预防以不适当的恐惧记忆为特征的疾病的策略。 在这里，两位PI（Josselyn博士和Frankland博士），都是新的研究者，将联合收割机结合他们的 专业知识来解决这些重要问题。因为所有的技术都与 注意事项和限制，我们将使用各种技术，包括光遗传学操作， 全脑神经元活动绘图和使用图形理论产生“印迹图” 以及结合行为的真实的实时体内钙成像。团结起来， 操纵和观察记忆痕迹，因为它的形成，随着时间的推移和行为的变化， 灭绝是一种创新，可能会导致记忆痕迹定义的转变， 提高我们对开发旨在解决不适当恐惧的治疗方法的理解 回忆

Project Summary/Abstract Memory may be defined as the retention over time of internal representations gained through experience, and the capacity to reconstruct these representations at later times (Dudai 2007). These internal representations are thought to be encoded by long-lasting physical brain changes (memory traces or `engrams') (Josselyn, Kohler & Frankland 2015, 2017; Tonegawa et al. 2015; Schacter 2001). Remembering fear-evoking events is adaptive; it helps one make future choices based on past experience. It may even be beneficial to generalize some fearful memories. However, excessive fear generalization or treating no-longer threatening stimuli as dangerous may be maladaptive. Indeed, recurrent or inappropriately expressed fearful memories are a major component of several psychiatric diseases, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety. Therefore, understanding how memory traces for fearful events are formed, change over time, under what conditions they remain specific or generalize, and how they are impacted by behavioral extinction are critical questions to not only understanding how the brain uses information but also for informing the development of new treatment/prevention strategies for disorders characterized by inappropriate fear memories. Here two PIs (Drs. Josselyn and Frankland), both New Investigators, will combine their expertise to address these important questions. Because all techniques are associated with caveats and limitations, we will use a variety of techniques including optogenetic manipulation, brain-wide neuronal activity mapping and the use of graph-theory to produce “engram maps” and real time in vivo calcium imaging combined with behavior. Together, the ability to manipulate and observe an engram as it forms, changes over time and with behavioral extinction is innovative and may lead to a shift in the very definition of an engram, as well as increase our understanding for developing treatments aimed at resolving inappropriate fear memories.