Roles of the anterior basolateral amygdalar nucleus during exposure to a live predator and to a predator-associated context

Author(s)

Bindi, Ricardo Passoni ^[1] ; Baldo, Marcus Vinicius C. ^[2] ; Canteras, Newton Sabino ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Anat, Inst Biomed Sci, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Physiol & Biophys, Inst Biomed Sci, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Behavioural Brain Research; v. 342, p. 51-56, APR 16 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 6

Abstract

The basolateral amygdala complex, which includes the lateral, basolateral and basomedial nuclei, has been implicated in innate and contextual fear responses to predator threats. In the basolateral complex, the lateral and posterior basomedial nuclei are able to process predator odor information, and they project to the predator responsive hypothalamic circuit; lesions in these amygdalar sites reduce innate responses and practically abolish contextual fear responses to predatory threats. In contrast to the lateral and posterior basomedial nuclei, the basolateral nucleus does not receive direct information from predator olfactory cues and has no direct link to the predator-responsive hypothalamic circuit. No attempt has previously been made to determine the specific role of the basolateral nucleus in fear responses to predatory threats, and we currently addressed this question by making bilateral N-methyl-D-aspartate lesions in the anterior basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BLAa), which is often regarded as being contiguous with the lateral amygdalar nucleus, and tested both innate and contextual fear in response to cat exposure. Accordingly, BLAa lesions decreased both innate and contextual fear responses to predator exposure. Considering the targets of the BLAa, the nucleus accumbens appears to be a potential candidate to influence innate defensive responses to predator threats. The present findings also suggest that the BLAa has a role in fear memory of predator threat. The BLAa is likely involved in memory consolidation, which could potentially engage BLAa projection targets, opening interesting possibilities in the investigation of how these targets could be involved in the consolidation of predator-related fear memory. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/05432-9 - Neural bases of fear and aggression
• Grantee: Newton Sabino Canteras
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/00620-4 - Study on the role of the endopirifiorme nucleus and the anterior part of the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala in the predatory, contextual and exploratory fear behavior in a new environment
• Grantee: Ricardo Passoni Bindi
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master