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Fear conditioning induces associative long-term potentiation in the amygdala

Fear conditioning induces associative long-term potentiation in the amygdala Long-term potentiation (LTP) is an experience-dependent form of neural plasticity believed to involve mechanisms that underlie memory formation 1,2,3 . LTP has been studied most extensively in the hippocampus, but the relation between hippocampal LTP and memory has been difficult to establish 4,5,6 . Here we explore the relation between LTP and memory in fear conditioning, an amygdala-dependent form of learning in which an innocuous conditioned stimulus (CS) elicits fear responses after being associatively paired with an aversive unconditioned stimulus (US). We have previously shown that LTP induction in pathways that transmit auditory CS information to the lateral nucleus of the amygdala (LA) increases auditory-evoked field potentials in this nucleus 7 . Now we show that fear conditioning alters auditory CS-evoked responses in LA in the same way as LTP induction. The changes parallel the acquisition of CS-elicited fear behaviour, are enduring, and do not occur if the CS and US remain unpaired. LTP-like associative processes thus occur during fear conditioning, and these may underlie the long-term associative plasticity that constitutes memory of the conditioning experience. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Nature Springer Journals

Fear conditioning induces associative long-term potentiation in the amygdala

Rogan, Michael T.; Stäubli, Ursula V.; LeDoux, Joseph E.
Nature , Volume 390 (6660) – Dec 11, 1997
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References (32)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 by Macmillan Magazines Ltd.
Subject
Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, multidisciplinary; Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, multidisciplinary; Science, multidisciplinary
ISSN
0028-0836
eISSN
1476-4687
DOI
10.1038/37601
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is an experience-dependent form of neural plasticity believed to involve mechanisms that underlie memory formation 1,2,3 . LTP has been studied most extensively in the hippocampus, but the relation between hippocampal LTP and memory has been difficult to establish 4,5,6 . Here we explore the relation between LTP and memory in fear conditioning, an amygdala-dependent form of learning in which an innocuous conditioned stimulus (CS) elicits fear responses after being associatively paired with an aversive unconditioned stimulus (US). We have previously shown that LTP induction in pathways that transmit auditory CS information to the lateral nucleus of the amygdala (LA) increases auditory-evoked field potentials in this nucleus 7 . Now we show that fear conditioning alters auditory CS-evoked responses in LA in the same way as LTP induction. The changes parallel the acquisition of CS-elicited fear behaviour, are enduring, and do not occur if the CS and US remain unpaired. LTP-like associative processes thus occur during fear conditioning, and these may underlie the long-term associative plasticity that constitutes memory of the conditioning experience.

Journal

Nature – Springer Journals

Published: Dec 11, 1997

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