Defining the neuronal circuitry of fear

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Defining the neuronal circuitry of fear Andreas Luethi1* 1 Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Switzerland We use an interdisciplinary approach to address the question how amygdala microcircuits mediate the acquisition and extinction of conditioned fear responses. In my talk, I will describe how switches in the activity between distinct types of amygdala neurons mediate context-dependent expression and extinction of fear memories. Moreover, I will present recent data demonstrating that functionally distinct types of amygdala neurons are specifically embedded and precisely connected both within the local circuitry and within larger-scale neuronal networks. Thus, in contrast to previous models suggesting that amygdala neurons are active during states of high fear and inactive during states of low fear, our findings indicate that activity in specific neuronal circuits within the amygdala cause opposite behavioral outcomes and provide a new framework for understanding context-dependent expression and extinction of fear behavior. Keywords: Plasticity and Learning Conference: BC11 : Computational Neuroscience & Neurotechnology Bernstein Conference & Neurex Annual Meeting 2011, Freiburg, Germany, 4 Oct - 6 Oct, 2011. Presentation Type: Keynote Topic: other Citation: Luethi A (2011). Defining the neuronal circuitry of fear. Front. Comput. Neurosci. Conference Abstract: BC11 : Computational Neuroscience & Neurotechnology Bernstein Conference & Neurex Annual Meeting 2011. doi: 10.3389/conf.fncom.2011.53.00024 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 26 Sep 2011; Published Online: 04 Oct 2011. * Correspondence: Prof. Andreas Luethi, Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland, Andreas.Luthi@fmi.ch Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Andreas Luethi Google Andreas Luethi Google Scholar Andreas Luethi PubMed Andreas Luethi Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.