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Fear conditioning induces associative long-term potentiation in the amygdala

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  • Michael T. Rogan

    (Center for Neural Science, New York University)

  • Ursula V. Stäubli

    (Center for Neural Science, New York University)

  • Joseph E. LeDoux

    (Center for Neural Science, New York University)

Abstract

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is an experience-dependent form of neural plasticity believed to involve mechanisms that underlie memory formation1,2,3. LTP has been studied most extensively in the hippocampus, but the relation between hippocampal LTP and memory has been difficult to establish4,5,6. Here we explore the relation between LTP and memory in fear conditioning, an amygdala-dependent form of learning in which an innocuous conditioned stimulus (CS) elicits fear responses after being associatively paired with an aversive unconditioned stimulus (US). We have previously shown that LTP induction in pathways that transmit auditory CS information to the lateral nucleus of the amygdala (LA) increases auditory-evoked field potentials in this nucleus7. Now we show that fear conditioning alters auditory CS-evoked responses in LA in the same way as LTP induction. The changes parallel the acquisition of CS-elicited fear behaviour, are enduring, and do not occur if the CS and US remain unpaired. LTP-like associative processes thus occur during fear conditioning, and these may underlie the long-term associative plasticity that constitutes memory of the conditioning experience.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael T. Rogan & Ursula V. Stäubli & Joseph E. LeDoux, 1997. "Fear conditioning induces associative long-term potentiation in the amygdala," Nature, Nature, vol. 390(6660), pages 604-607, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:390:y:1997:i:6660:d:10.1038_37601
    DOI: 10.1038/37601
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    Cited by:

    1. Scott E. Allen & Ren'e F. Kizilcec & A. David Redish, 2024. "A new model of trust based on neural information processing," Papers 2401.08064, arXiv.org.
    2. Lawrence Amsel & Spencer Harbo & Amitai Halberstam, 2015. "There is nothing to fear but the amygdala: applying advances in the neuropsychiatry of fear to public policy," Mind & Society: Cognitive Studies in Economics and Social Sciences, Springer;Fondazione Rosselli, vol. 14(1), pages 141-152, June.
    3. Sekun Park & Anqi Zhu & Feng Cao & Richard D. Palmiter, 2024. "Parabrachial Calca neurons mediate second-order conditioning," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.

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