title: Medial amygdala modulation of predator odor-induced unconditioned fear in the rat.
abstract: This study examined the participation of the medial amygdala (MeA) in unconditioned fear. Rats received ibotenic acid lesions in the MeA or central amygdala (CeA) prior to cat-odor exposure. MeA-lesioned rats exhibited a significant reduction in freezing duration and made frequent contact with a cloth containing cat odor. In contrast, CeA lesions had no significant effects on unconditioned fear. The freezing reduction produced by MeA lesions was not due to a performance deficit because MeA-lesioned rats, unlike CeA-lesioned rats, were capable of freezing in postshock test intervals. Furthermore, MeA lesions did not alter olfactory function and general locomotor activity. Results demonstrate that the MeA plays a major role in modulating predator odor-induced unconditioned fear.
authors.affiliation: Psychobiology Laboratory, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
authors.forename: Chun-I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Thomas L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Maglinao
authors.forename: Lorey K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological; D005239:Fear; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans