title: Paradoxical reversal learning enhancement by stress or prefrontal cortical damage: rescue with BDNF.
abstract: Stress affects various forms of cognition. We found that moderate stress enhanced late reversal learning in a mouse touchscreen-based choice task. Ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) lesions mimicked the effect of stress, whereas orbitofrontal and dorsolateral striatal lesions impaired reversal. Stress facilitation of reversal was prevented by BDNF infusion into the vmPFC. These findings suggest a mechanism by which stress-induced vmPFC dysfunction disinhibits learning by alternate (for example, striatal) systems.
authors: Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, US National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors: Carolyn
authors: C
authors: Graybeal
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Feyder
authors: Emily
authors: E
authors: Schulman
authors: Lisa M
authors: LM
authors: Saksida
authors: Timothy J
authors: TJ
authors: Bussey
authors: Jonathan L
authors: JL
authors: Brigman
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Holmes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012193:Reversal Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013550:Swimming / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor