title: Internuclear synapse in the amygdala is not facilitated in fear conditioning.
abstract: The amygdala is essential for fear learning and memory. Synaptic transmission is enhanced in two pathways in the amygdala in fear conditioning. In this study we examined whether lateral (LA) to basolateral (BLA) amygdala synapses are potentiated and participate in intra-amygdala plasticity during the maintenance of fear memory. Our data showed that synaptic strength from the LA (ventrolateral) to the BLA (parvicellular) pathway was not increased after fear conditioning and suggests that this pathway does not integrate information relevant to the coding of memories in auditory fear learning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555-1031, USA.
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shinnick-Gallagher
mesh_terms: D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D005239:Fear; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009553:Nimodipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D009553:Nimodipine; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate