Year: 2020
Type: dissertation
Abstract: In the amygdala, neurons compete to be recruited for the encoding of fear and reward memory traces. Previously, our laboratory showed that only ~20 % of lateral amygdala (LA) neurons are allocated to a fear or reward memory trace. Specifically, neurons with increased excitability have a competitive advantage over their less excitable neighbours to be selected to encode a memory. While the basal amygdala (BA) is connected to the LA, its precise role in memory allocation is unknown. Recent reports demonstrated that two different genetic neuronal populations in the BA represent negative and positive valence, localized respectively in the anterior BA and posterior BA (pBA). By increasing pBA neurons’ excitability with CREB, we hoped to artificially allocate a fear memory in this subregion. Instead, we found that CREB in the pBA inhibited fear memory expression. This result supports the hypothesis that the pBA might be responsible for encoding reward, or fear inhibition.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Author: Jeanne Inchauspé
Language: Spanish
Topic: Memory and Neural Mechanisms
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3157627880