A role for prefrontal cortex in the extinction of a conditioned taste aversion.
This study used immunohistochemical methods to determine if the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is involved in the extinction of a conditioned taste aversion (CTA). As rats reached 90% reacceptance of a tastant (saccharin: SAC) that had previously been associated with lithium chloride-induced malaise, c-Fos protein expression increased dramatically as compared to animals with active CTAs, animals without CTAs (i.e., explicitly unpaired CS-US exposures) or animals drinking SAC for the first time. These data indicate a role for mPFC (prelimbic and infralimbic cortex) in the formation of a CTA extinction memory.
Mickley
G Andrew
GA
Department of Psychology and the Neuroscience Program, Baldwin-Wallace College, 275 Eastland Road, Berea, OH 44017-2088, USA. amickley@bw.edu
Kenmuir
Cynthia L
CL
Yocom
Anna M
AM
Wellman
Justin A
JA
Biada
Jaclyn M
JM
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology*; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology*
D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos