title: Cholinergic Signaling Controls Conditioned Fear Behaviors and Enhances Plasticity of Cortical-Amygdala Circuits.
abstract: We examined the contribution of endogenous cholinergic signaling to the acquisition and extinction of fear- related memory by optogenetic regulation of cholinergic input to the basal lateral amygdala (BLA). Stimulation of cholinergic terminal fields within the BLA in awake-behaving mice during training in a cued fear-conditioning paradigm slowed the extinction of learned fear as assayed by multi-day retention of extinction learning. Inhibition of cholinergic activity during training reduced the acquisition of learned fear behaviors. Circuit mechanisms underlying the behavioral effects of cholinergic signaling in the BLA were assessed by in vivo and ex vivo electrophysiological recording. Photostimulation of endogenous cholinergic input (1) enhances firing of putative BLA principal neurons through activation of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs), (2) enhances glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the BLA, and (3) induces LTP of cortical-amygdala circuits. These studies support an essential role of cholinergic modulation of BLA circuits in the inscription and retention of fear memories.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; CNS Disorders Center and the Neurosciences Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA. Electronic address: li.jiang@stonybrook.edu.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; CNS Disorders Center and the Neurosciences Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
authors.forename: Srikanya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kundu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; CNS Disorders Center and the Neurosciences Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Lederman
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; CNS Disorders Center and the Neurosciences Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
authors.forename: Gretchen Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: López-Hernández
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; CNS Disorders Center and the Neurosciences Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; MSTP, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Ballinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; CNS Disorders Center and the Neurosciences Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
authors.forename: Shaohua
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; CNS Disorders Center and the Neurosciences Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Talmage
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; CNS Disorders Center and the Neurosciences Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA. Electronic address: lorna.role@stonybrook.edu.
authors.forename: Lorna W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Role
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D059329:Cholinergic Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000502:physiology; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D018698:Glutamic Acid