BLA to vHPC inputs modulate anxiety-related behaviors

Neuron. 2013 Aug 21;79(4):658-64. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2013.06.016.

Abstract

The basolateral amygdala (BLA) and ventral hippocampus (vHPC) have both been implicated in mediating anxiety-related behaviors, but the functional contribution of BLA inputs to the vHPC has never been directly investigated. Here we show that activation of BLA-vHPC synapses acutely and robustly increased anxiety-related behaviors, while inhibition of BLA-vHPC synapses decreased anxiety-related behaviors. We combined optogenetic approaches with in vivo pharmacological manipulations and ex vivo whole-cell patch-clamp recordings to dissect the local circuit mechanisms, demonstrating that activation of BLA terminals in the vHPC provided monosynaptic, glutamatergic inputs to vHPC pyramidal neurons. Furthermore, BLA inputs exerted polysynaptic, inhibitory effects mediated by local interneurons in the vHPC that may serve to balance the circuit locally. These data establish a role for BLA-vHPC synapses in bidirectionally controlling anxiety-related behaviors in an immediate, yet reversible, manner and a model for the local circuit mechanism of BLA inputs in the vHPC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione / pharmacology
  • Amygdala / physiopathology*
  • Animals
  • Anxiety / genetics
  • Anxiety / pathology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2 / genetics
  • Channelrhodopsins
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Exploratory Behavior
  • Halorhodopsins / genetics
  • Halorhodopsins / metabolism
  • Hippocampus / cytology
  • Hippocampus / physiopathology*
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • Male
  • Maze Learning
  • Membrane Potentials / genetics
  • Membrane Potentials / physiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neural Pathways / physiology*
  • Neurons / physiology
  • Sodium Channel Blockers / pharmacology
  • Synapses / physiology
  • Tetrodotoxin / pharmacology
  • Valine / analogs & derivatives
  • Valine / pharmacology

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Channelrhodopsins
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
  • Halorhodopsins
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Sodium Channel Blockers
  • yellow fluorescent protein, Bacteria
  • Tetrodotoxin
  • 6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione
  • 2-amino-5-phosphopentanoic acid
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2
  • Valine