Long-Term Neural Correlates of Reversible Fear Learning in the Lateral Amygdala

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has previously been shown to play an important role in glutamatergic synaptic plasticity in the amygdala, correlating with cued fear learning. While glutamatergic neurotransmission is facilitated by BDNF signaling in the amygdala, its mechanism of action at inhibitory synapses in this nucleus is far less understood. We therefore analyzed the impact of chronic BDNF depletion on GABAA-mediated synaptic transmission in BDNF heterozygous knockout mice (BDNF+/−). Analysis of miniature and evoked inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in the lateral amygdala (LA) revealed neither pre- nor postsynaptic differences in BDNF+/− mice compared to wild-type littermates. In addition, long-term potentiation (LTP) of IPSCs was similar in both genotypes. In contrast, facilitation of spontaneous IPSCs (sIPSCs) by norepinephrine (NE) was significantly reduced in BDNF+/− mice. These results argue against a generally impaired efficacy and plasticity at GABAergic synapses due to a chronic BDNF deficit. Importantly, the increase in GABAergic tone mediated by NE is reduced in BDNF+/− mice. As release of NE is elevated during aversive behavioral states in the amygdala, effects of a chronic BDNF deficit on GABAergic inhibition may become evident in response to states of high arousal, leading to amygdala hyper-excitability and impaired amygdala function.

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Verbal threat learning does not spare loved ones

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-84921-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Cristina Morato ◽

Pedro Guerra ◽

Florian Bublatzky

Keyword(s):

Fear Learning ◽

Pain Experience ◽

Trauma Research ◽

Learning History ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Electric Shocks ◽

History Of ◽

Threat Cues ◽

Verbal Threat

AbstractSignificant others provide individuals with a sense of safety and security. However, the mechanisms that underlie attachment-induced safety are hardly understood. Recent research has shown beneficial effects when viewing pictures of the romantic partner, leading to reduced pain experience and defensive responding. Building upon this, we examined the inhibitory capacity of loved face pictures on fear learning in an instructed threat paradigm. Pictures of loved familiar or unknown individuals served as signals for either threat of electric shocks or safety, while a broad set of psychophysiological measures was recorded. We assumed that a long-term learning history of beneficial relations interferes with social threat learning. Nevertheless, results yielded a typical pattern of physiological defense activation towards threat cues, regardless of whether threat was signaled by an unknown or a loved face. These findings call into question the notion that pictures of loved individuals are shielded against becoming threat cues, with implications for attachment and trauma research.

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Optical activation of lateral amygdala pyramidal cells instructs associative fear learning

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1002418107 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 107 (28) ◽

pp. 12692-12697 ◽

Cited By ~ 185

Author(s):

Joshua P. Johansen ◽

Hiroki Hamanaka ◽

Marie H. Monfils ◽

Rudy Behnia ◽

Karl Deisseroth ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pyramidal Cells ◽

Fear Learning ◽

Lateral Amygdala ◽

Optical Activation

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Brain Structure and Functional Connectivity Correlate with Psychosocial Development in Contemplative Practitioners and Controls

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci11060728 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 728

Author(s):

Omar Singleton ◽

Max Newlon ◽

Andres Fossas ◽

Beena Sharma ◽

Susanne R. Cook-Greuter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Functional Connectivity ◽

Cortical Thickness ◽

Adult Development ◽

Psychosocial Development ◽

Neural Correlates ◽

Control Group ◽

Contemplative Practice ◽

Temporoparietal Junction ◽

Posterior Cingulate

Jane Loevinger’s theory of adult development, termed ego development (1966) and more recently maturity development, provides a useful framework for understanding the development of the self throughout the lifespan. However, few studies have investigated its neural correlates. In the present study, we use structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate the neural correlates of maturity development in contemplative practitioners and controls. Since traits possessed by individuals with higher levels of maturity development are similar to those attributed to individuals at advanced stages of contemplative practice, we chose to investigate levels of maturity development in meditation practitioners as well as matched controls. We used the Maturity Assessment Profile (MAP) to measure maturity development in a mixed sample of participants composed of 14 long-term meditators, 16 long-term yoga practitioners, and 16 demographically matched controls. We investigated the relationship between contemplative practice and maturity development with behavioral, seed-based resting state functional connectivity, and cortical thickness analyses. The results of this study indicate that contemplative practitioners possess higher maturity development compared to a matched control group, and in addition, maturity development correlates with cortical thickness in the posterior cingulate. Furthermore, we identify a brain network implicated in theory of mind, narrative, and self-referential processing, comprising the posterior cingulate cortex, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, temporoparietal junction, and inferior frontal cortex, as a primary neural correlate.

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Neural correlates of long-term associative memory in human temporal cortex

Neuroscience Research ◽

10.1016/j.neures.2009.09.1331 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 65 ◽

pp. S236

Author(s):

Seiki Konishi ◽

Ken-ichiro Yamashita ◽

Satoshi Hirose ◽

Akira Kunimatsu ◽

Shigeki Aoki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Associative Memory ◽

Temporal Cortex ◽

Neural Correlates

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Behavioral, physiological, and neural signatures of surprise during naturalistic sports viewing

10.1101/2020.03.26.008714 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

James W. Antony ◽

Thomas H. Hartshorne ◽

Ken Pomeroy ◽

Todd M. Gureckis ◽

Uri Hasson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Subjects ◽

Quantitative Measure ◽

Neural Correlates ◽

Long Term Memory ◽

Event Segmentation Theory ◽

Affective Experiences ◽

Subcortical Regions ◽

And Shifts ◽

Belief States

SummarySurprise signals a discrepancy between past and current beliefs. It is theorized to be linked to affective experiences, the creation of particularly resilient memories, and segmentation of the flow of experience into discrete perceived events. However, the ability to precisely measure naturalistic surprise has remained elusive. We used advanced basketball analytics to derive a quantitative measure of surprise and characterized its behavioral, physiological, and neural correlates in human subjects observing basketball games. We found that surprise was associated with segmentation of ongoing experiences, as reflected by subjectively perceived event boundaries and shifts in neocortical patterns underlying belief states. Interestingly, these effects differed by whether surprising moments contradicted or bolstered current predominant beliefs. Surprise also positively correlated with pupil dilation, activation in subcortical regions associated with dopamine, game enjoyment, and long-term memory. These investigations support key predictions from event segmentation theory and extend theoretical conceptualizations of surprise to real-world contexts.

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