QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (30) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Poremba, A. Articles by Gabriel, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Poremba, A. Articles by Gabriel, M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

The Journal of Neuroscience, November 1, 1999, 19(21):9635-9641

Amygdala Neurons Mediate Acquisition But Not Maintenance of Instrumental Avoidance Behavior in Rabbits

Amy Poremba¹ and Michael Gabriel²

¹ Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, and ² Department of Psychology and the Beckman Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801

Whereas the amygdala is generally understood to be involved in aversively motivated learning, the specific associative function of the amygdala remains controversial. This study addressed the amygdalar role in mediation of discriminative instrumental avoidance learning of rabbits. Bilateral microinjection of the GABA receptor agonist muscimol centered in the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala was given to inactivate amygdalar neurons at each of three stages of acquisition. The absence of behavioral learning in rabbits trained immediately after amygdalar inactivation confirmed previous results with electrolytic lesions. The absence of savings during training after muscimol had become ineffective indicated an amygdalar role in the establishment of acquisition-relevant neural plasticity, not simply in the expression of the learned response. A time-limited role of the amygdala in instrumental avoidance learning was indicated by the finding that intra-amygdalar muscimol failed to disrupt performance of the well-established avoidance response. The passage of time alone (with no training trials) was sufficient to reduce amygdalar involvement in response performance. These results and demonstrations that other limbic system areas make time-limited contributions to learning indicate that the amygdala is part of a larger intermediate memory system that supports learning and performance before habit consolidation.

Key words: muscimol; GABA_A agonist; temporary lesion; fiber-sparing lesion; rabbits; instrumental learning; avoidance learning; discriminative conditioning; retention

---

Copyright © 1999 Society for Neuroscience  0270-6474/99/19219635-07$05.00/0

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. Knapska, K. Radwanska, T. Werka, and L. Kaczmarek Functional Internal Complexity of Amygdala: Focus on Gene Activity Mapping After Behavioral Training and Drugs of Abuse Physiol Rev, October 1, 2007; 87(4): 1113 - 1173. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. D. Cohen and M. A. Castro-Alamancos Early Sensory Pathways for Detection of Fearful Conditioned Stimuli: Tectal and Thalamic Relays J. Neurosci., July 18, 2007; 27(29): 7762 - 7776. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Rosenkranz, H. Moore, and A. A. Grace The Prefrontal Cortex Regulates Lateral Amygdala Neuronal Plasticity and Responses to Previously Conditioned Stimuli J. Neurosci., December 3, 2003; 23(35): 11054 - 11064. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. SAH, E. S. L. FABER, M. LOPEZ DE ARMENTIA, and J. POWER The Amygdaloid Complex: Anatomy and Physiology Physiol Rev, July 1, 2003; 83(3): 803 - 834. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Lehmann, D. Treit, and M. B. Parent Spared Anterograde Memory for Shock-Probe Fear Conditioning After Inactivation of the Amygdala Learn. Mem., July 1, 2003; 10(4): 261 - 269. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. D. Duvel, D. M. Smith, A. Talk, and M. Gabriel Medial Geniculate, Amygdalar and Cingulate Cortical Training-Induced Neuronal Activity during Discriminative Avoidance Learning in Rabbits with Auditory Cortical Lesions J. Neurosci., May 1, 2001; 21(9): 3271 - 3281. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. A. Goosens and S. Maren Contextual and Auditory Fear Conditioning are Mediated by the Lateral, Basal, and Central Amygdaloid Nuclei in Rats Learn. Mem., May 1, 2001; 8(3): 148 - 155. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Roozendaal, D. J.-F. de Quervain, B. Ferry, B. Setlow, and J. L. McGaugh Basolateral Amygdala-Nucleus Accumbens Interactions in Mediating Glucocorticoid Enhancement of Memory Consolidation J. Neurosci., April 1, 2001; 21(7): 2518 - 2525. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Poremba and M. Gabriel Amygdalar Efferents Initiate Auditory Thalamic Discriminative Training-Induced Neuronal Activity J. Neurosci., January 1, 2001; 21(1): 270 - 278. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help