Possible involvement of TRPV1 receptors in the dorsal hippocampus in the modulation of contextual conditioned emotional response associated: a possible interaction with glutamatergic systems, nitric oxide and cGMP pathway.

• Grant number: 13/07470-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: August 01, 2013
• End date: July 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Neuropsychopharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Leonardo Resstel Barbosa Moraes
• Grantee: Gabriela Bertacchini Luiz
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 12/17626-7 - Cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the role of atypical neurotransmitters in neuropsychiatric disorders, AP.TEM

Abstract

The hippocampus is a brain structure located medial to the lateral ventricle and makespart of the limbic system. It can be divided into three parts: the dentate gyrus, areascalled to as CA1, CA2 and CA3 and the subiculum. According to its anatomical position, the hippocampus can be divided into dorsal portions (HIPd) and ventral (HIPv). The HIPd is abrain structure that is closely related to the modulation of processes emotional learning and memory. In some mammals, electrical stimulation of the HIPd promotes behavioral changes, such as defensive reactions, as shaking growl and reactions of escape, assault and confusion. The model of conditioned fear to context is widely used to evaluate defensive responses, and is based on an associative learning between a stimulus neutral, and may be a sound or ambient (context) with an aversive stimulus, unconditioned stimulus (US), such as footshock. After pairing with the US, the previously neutral stimulus becomes to the animal a predictor of the occurrence shock and thus becomes a conditioned stimulus (CS).