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

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

The Journal of Neuroscience, September 9, 2009, 29(36):11089-11097; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1616-09.2009

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 Google Scholar Articles by Fadok, J. P. Articles by Palmiter, R. D. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Fadok, J. P. Articles by Palmiter, R. D. Pubmed/NCBI databases Gene GEO Profiles HomoloGene Protein UniGene Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive
Dopamine Is Necessary for Cue-Dependent Fear Conditioning

Jonathan P. Fadok,^1,2 Tavis M. K. Dickerson,² and Richard D. Palmiter²

¹Graduate Program in Neurobiology and Behavior and ²Department of Biochemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195

Correspondence should be addressed to Richard D. Palmiter, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biochemistry, Box 357370, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195. Email: palmiter{at}u.washington.edu

Dopamine (DA) is implicated in many behaviors, including motor function, cognition, and reward processing; however, the role of DA in fear processing remains equivocal. To examine the role of DA in fear-related learning, dopamine-deficient (DD) mice were tested in a fear-potentiated startle paradigm. DA synthesis can be restored in DD mice through administration of 3, 4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (L-Dopa), thereby permitting the assessment of fear processing in either a DA-depleted or -replete state. Fear-potentiated startle was absent in DD mice but could be restored by L-Dopa administration immediately after fear conditioning. Selective viral-mediated restoration of DA synthesis within the ventral tegmental area fully restored fear learning in DD mice, and restoration of DA synthesis to DA neurons projecting to the basolateral amygdala restored short-term memory but not long-term memory or shock sensitization. We also demonstrate that the DA D₁ receptor (D₁R) and D₂-like receptors are necessary for cue-dependent fear learning. These findings indicate that DA acting on multiple receptor subtypes within multiple target regions facilitates the stabilization of fear memory.

---

Received April 3, 2009; revised June 15, 2009; accepted July 6, 2009.

Correspondence should be addressed to Richard D. Palmiter, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biochemistry, Box 357370, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195. Email: palmiter{at}u.washington.edu

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help