A Specialized Subclass of Interneurons Mediates Dopaminergic Facilitation of Amygdala Function

Neuropeptide S-Mediated Facilitation of Synaptic Transmission Enforces Subthreshold Theta Oscillations within the Lateral Amygdala

The neuropeptide S (NPS) receptor system modulates neuronal circuit activity in the amygdala in conjunction with fear, anxiety and the expression and extinction of previously acquired fear memories. Using in vitro brain slice preparations of transgenic GAD67-GFP (Δneo) mice, we investigated the effects of NPS on neural activity in the lateral amygdala as a key region for the formation and extin...

Space matters: local and global dendritic Ca2+ compartmentalization in cortical interneurons.

Dendrites of pyramidal neurons are complex, electrically active structures that can produce local and global Ca(2+) compartments. Recent studies indicate that dendrites of cortical GABAergic interneurons are also highly specialized, and that different subtypes vary in their morphology, in their intrinsic and synaptic conductances and in the Ca(2+) signals they generate. Because interneurons pla...

Heterosynaptic long-term potentiation of inhibitory interneurons in the lateral amygdala.

Long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic transmission in the lateral amygdala (LA) is believed to underlie the formation and retention of fear memories. To explore the role of inhibitory transmission in amygdala plasticity, we recorded from LA inhibitory interneurons in vitro before and after tetanization of the thalamo-LA pathway, one of the major inputs to LA involved in fear learning. Tetani...

Insertion of a Function Belonging to a Certain Subclass of R^x

Facilitation of Contextual Fear Extinction by Orexin-1 Receptor Antagonism Is Associated with the Activation of Specific Amygdala Cell Subpopulations

Background Orexins are hypothalamic neuropeptides recently involved in the regulation of emotional memory. The basolateral amygdala, an area orchestrating fear memory processes, appears to be modulated by orexin transmission during fear extinction. However, the neuronal types within the basolateral amygdala involved in this modulation remain to be elucidated. Methods We used retrograde tracin...