Study of the cortical circuitry involved in contextual fear processing to predatory threat

• Grant number: 13/04802-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: July 01, 2013
• End date: July 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology
• Principal Investigator: Newton Sabino Canteras
• Grantee: Miguel Antonio Xavier de Lima
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Previous studies from our laboratory showed that memory to predatory threats depends on a hypothalamic-thalamic path involving the dorsal premammillary nucleus and the ventral part of the anteromedial thalamic nucleus (AMv). Thus, it has been shown that cytotoxic lesions of the AMv interfere with the contextual, but not innate, responses to predatory threats. Connective data from our lab have shown that the AMv projects to a cortical network including the prelimbic, anterior cingulated and retrosplenial areas, likely to be involved in the memory processing to predatory threats. Previous studies have shown that the anterior cingulated and retrosplenial areas are involved in contextual fear memory to footshock, an effect mediated though projections to the post-rhinal area, an important source of inputs to the hippocampal formation. In the present study, our first aim is to investigate the projection pattern of each element of this cortical network (i.e., anterior cingulated, retrosplenial and post-rhinal areas), and next, by placing electrolytic lesions, we will examine the putative role played by each of this cortical fields in the contextual memory to predatory threats. Once established the main cortical fields involved in this process, pharmacological inactivation of selected cortical fields will be planned before the exposure to the predator or the predator-related context, to determine potential roles, respectively, in the acquisition or expression of contextual fear memory. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

XAVIER DE LIMA, MIGUEL ANTONIO; BALDO, MARCUS VINICIUS C.; CANTERAS, NEWTON SABINO. A role for the anteromedial thalamic nucleus in the acquisition of contextual fear memory to predatory threats. Brain Structure & Function, v. 222, n. 1, p. 113-129, JAN 2017. (14/05432-9, 13/04802-4)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

LIMA, Miguel Antonio Xavier de. Study of the cortical circuitry underlying contextual fear processing to predatory threat.. 2015. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI) São Paulo.