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 PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Heinbockel, T. Articles by Pape, H.-C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Heinbockel, T. Articles by Pape, H.-C.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

The Journal of Neuroscience, 2000, 20:RC68:1-5

RAPID COMMUNICATION
Input-Specific Long-Term Depression in the Lateral Amygdala Evoked by Theta Frequency Stimulation

Thomas Heinbockel and Hans-Christian Pape

Otto-von-Guericke-Universität, Institut für Physiologie, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany

Although conditioned fear has been shown to involve mechanisms of synaptic plasticity in the amygdala, the association with afferent input systems is not yet clear. Here we report on homosynaptic long-term depression (LTD) of excitatory responses after stimulation of putative thalamic input fibers, but not of cortical inputs, to the rat lateral amygdala in vitro. LTD is induced by theta frequency stimulation and involves postsynaptic calcium-dependent mechanisms and group II metabotropic glutamate receptors. These input-specific changes in synaptic strength represent potential cellular sources, which regulate the balance between sensory thalamic and cortical input signals to the amygdala. This regulation would function to reduce the influence of relatively undiscriminated stimulus information carried by thalamic afferents in favor of discriminated sensory information mediated by the cortex during fear responses.

Key words: amygdala; fear conditioning; lateral amygdala; long-term depression; synaptic plasticity; theta

---

Copyright © 2000 Society for Neuroscience  0270-6474/00/$05.00/0

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. Muller, D. Albrecht, and C. Gebhardt Both NR2A and NR2B subunits of the NMDA receptor are critical for long-term potentiation and long-term depression in the lateral amygdala of horizontal slices of adult mice Learn. Mem., May 27, 2009; 16(6): 395 - 405. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y.-Y. Huang, E. R. Kandel, and A. Levine Chronic nicotine exposure induces a long-lasting and pathway-specific facilitation of LTP in the amygdala Learn. Mem., August 6, 2008; 15(8): 603 - 610. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Schubert, C. Drephal, and D. Albrecht Gender-dependent ATPA-induced changes in long-term potentiation in the rat lateral amygdala FASEB J, April 1, 2008; 22(4): 1268 - 1274. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Kim, S. Lee, K. Park, I. Hong, B. Song, G. Son, H. Park, W. R. Kim, E. Park, H. K. Choe, et al. Amygdala depotentiation and fear extinction PNAS, December 26, 2007; 104(52): 20955 - 20960. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y.-Y. Huang and E. R. Kandel Low-frequency stimulation induces a pathway-specific late phase of LTP in the amygdala that is mediated by PKA and dependent on protein synthesis Learn. Mem., July 12, 2007; 14(7): 497 - 503. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Maren Building and Burying Fear Memories in the Brain Neuroscientist, February 1, 2005; 11(1): 89 - 99. [Abstract] [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]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help