title: An intra-amygdala circuit specifically regulates social fear learning.
abstract: Adaptive social behavior requires transmission and reception of salient social information. Impairment of this reciprocity is a cardinal symptom of autism. The amygdala is a critical mediator of social behavior and is implicated in social symptoms of autism. Here we found that a specific amygdala circuit, from the lateral nucleus to the medial nucleus (LA-MeA), is required for using social cues to learn about environmental cues that signal imminent threats. Disruption of the LA-MeA circuit impaired valuation of these environmental cues and subsequent ability to use a cue to guide behavior. Rats with impaired social guidance of behavior due to knockout of Nrxn1, an analog of autism-associated gene NRXN, exhibited marked LA-MeA deficits. Chemogenetic activation of this circuit reversed these impaired social behaviors. These findings identify an amygdala circuit required to guide emotional responses to socially significant cues and identify an exploratory target for disorders associated with social impairments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, The Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Twining
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, The Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Jaime E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Vantrease
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, The Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Skyelar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Love
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, The Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Mallika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Padival
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, The Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: J Amiel
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rosenkranz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D066272:Basolateral Nuclear Complex / Q000502:physiology*; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology; D066276:Corticomedial Nuclear Complex / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D012919:Social Behavior
chemical_list: C547193:Nrxn1 protein, rat; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface