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The Journal of Neuroscience, July 11, 2007, 27(28):7386-7396; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5643-06.2007

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Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive
Role of the Primate Amygdala in Fear-Potentiated Startle: Effects of Chronic Lesions in the Rhesus Monkey

Elena A. Antoniadis,^1,2 James T. Winslow,⁴ Michael Davis,^5,6 and David G. Amaral^1,2,3

¹Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, ²California National Primate Research Center, and ³Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616, ⁴National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20842, and ⁵Yerkes National Primate Research Center and ⁶Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science and Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30320

Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. David G. Amaral, The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute, University of California, Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817. Email: dgamaral{at}ucdavis.edu

In experiment 1, we assessed the role of the primate amygdala and hippocampus in the acquisition of learned fear measured with fear-potentiated startle. Three groups of six rhesus monkeys were prepared with bilateral ibotenic acid lesions of the amygdaloid complex and the hippocampus or were sham operated. Selective ibotenic acid lesions of the amygdala, but not the hippocampus, blocked the acquisition of fear-potentiated startle. In experiment 2, we assessed the role of the primate amygdala in the expression of fear-potentiated startle. Surprisingly, animals that sustained amygdala damage after they successfully learned fear-potentiated startle expressed normal fear-potentiated startle, despite a complete amygdala lesion based on magnetic resonance imaging assessments. These results suggest that although the amygdala is necessary for the initial acquisition of fear-potentiated startle, it is not necessary for the retention and expression of fear-potentiated startle. These findings are discussed in relation to the role of the amygdala in emotional learning and in cross-species comparisons of emotional behavior.

Key words: primate; amygdala; fear-potentiated startle; fear conditioning; rhesus monkey; emotional learning; learning and memory

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Received Dec. 29, 2006; revised May 25, 2007; accepted May 28, 2007.

Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. David G. Amaral, The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute, University of California, Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817. Email: dgamaral{at}ucdavis.edu

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. T. Winslow, P. L. Noble, and M. Davis AX+/BX- discrimination learning in the fear-potentiated startle paradigm in monkeys Learn. Mem., January 28, 2008; 15(2): 63 - 66. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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