title: Neurons in the amygdala with response-selectivity for anxiety in two ethologically based tests.
abstract: The amygdala is a key area in the brain for detecting potential threats or dangers, and further mediating anxiety. However, the neuronal mechanisms of anxiety in the amygdala have not been well characterized. Here we report that in freely-behaving mice, a group of neurons in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) fires tonically under anxiety conditions in both open-field and elevated plus-maze tests. The firing patterns of these neurons displayed a characteristic slow onset and progressively increased firing rates. Specifically, these firing patterns were correlated to a gradual development of anxiety-like behaviors in the open-field test. Moreover, these neurons could be activated by any impoverished environment similar to an open-field; and introduction of both comfortable and uncomfortable stimuli temporarily suppressed the activity of these BLA neurons. Importantly, the excitability of these BLA neurons correlated well with levels of anxiety. These results demonstrate that this type of BLA neuron is likely to represent anxiety and/or emotional values of anxiety elicited by anxiogenic environmental stressors.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (Ministry of Education), Institute of Brain Functional Genomics, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Dong V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhiru
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Longnian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000679:Amygdala / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005010:Ethology / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*