 |
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
The Journal of Neuroscience, September 24, 2003, 23(25):8713-8721
Previous Article | Next Article
Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive
Central Amygdala Lesions Block Ultrasonic Vocalization and Freezing as Conditional But Not Unconditional Responses
June-Seek Choi andThomas H. Brown Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
Bilateral amygdala (AM) lesions prevent the acquisition of fear-related conditional responses (CRs) in rats, a result that is most commonly concluded to reflect a learning or memory deficit. An alternative hypothesis is that AM-lesioned animals fail to acquire certain fear CRs simply because they cannot perform these behaviors. This performance-deficit hypothesis is usually invoked in regard to studies in which the CR is freezing, the most commonly measured behavior. Here we explore this interpretation by measuring two different behaviors [freezing and 22 kHz ultrasonic vocalization (USV)] elicited under three conditions (during context conditioning, during subsequent retention testing, and after ejaculation) in experimental rats [that received electrolytic lesions of the central nucleus of the amygdala (ACe)] and control animals (that received a sham operation). If ACe damage produces a discrete motor deficit that specifically renders the animal unable to remain immobile, then freezing should be blocked or impaired when elicited under all three conditions, whereas USV should be spared. Alternatively, if ACe damage selectively interferes with CR formation, maintenance, or expression, then both freezing and USV should be blocked or impaired when elicited as CRs during acquisition and retention testing but spared when evoked as unconditional responses (URs) to ejaculation. ACe damage blocked or severely impaired both freezing and USV elicited as CRs but had no effect on either behavior elicited as URs. We reject the motor-deficit hypothesis and discuss some viable alternatives.
Key words: ultrasonic vocalization; freezing; amygdala; fear; ejaculation; context conditioning
Received April 16, 2003; revised July 23, 2003; accepted August 6, 2003.
This article has been cited by other articles:
J.-S. Choi, C. K. Cain, and J. E. LeDoux
The role of amygdala nuclei in the expression of auditory signaled two-way active avoidance in rats
Learn. Mem., February 26, 2010; 17(3): 139 - 147.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
S. C. Furtak, T. A. Allen, and T. H. Brown
Single-Unit Firing in Rat Perirhinal Cortex Caused by Fear Conditioning to Arbitrary and Ecological Stimuli
J. Neurosci., November 7, 2007; 27(45): 12277 - 12291.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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]
S. W. C. Chen, A. Shemyakin, and C. P. Wiedenmayer
The Role of the Amygdala and Olfaction in Unconditioned Fear in Developing Rats
J. Neurosci., January 4, 2006; 26(1): 233 - 240.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
S. Maren
Building and Burying Fear Memories in the Brain
Neuroscientist, February 1, 2005; 11(1): 89 - 99.
[Abstract] [PDF]
J. W. Koo, J.-S. Han, and J. J. Kim
Selective Neurotoxic Lesions of Basolateral and Central Nuclei of the Amygdala Produce Differential Effects on Fear Conditioning
J. Neurosci., September 1, 2004; 24(35): 7654 - 7662.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
D. H. Lindquist, L. E. Jarrard, and T. H. Brown
Perirhinal Cortex Supports Delay Fear Conditioning to Rat Ultrasonic Social Signals
J. Neurosci., April 7, 2004; 24(14): 3610 - 3617.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
T. Lee and J. J. Kim
Differential Effects of Cerebellar, Amygdalar, and Hippocampal Lesions on Classical Eyeblink Conditioning in Rats
J. Neurosci., March 31, 2004; 24(13): 3242 - 3250.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|