Driving valence-specific behavior through single-cell resolution control in the amygdala

Abstract

In this issue of Neuron, Piantadosi etal.1 demonstrate that by precisely controlling the activity of individual negative-valence neurons and positive-valence neurons in the basolateral amygdala, one can alter animals' appetitive or aversive responses, respectively, establishing a causal role of these neurons in valence-specific behavior.