| Program#/Poster#: |
468.26/VV21 |
| Title: |
Threat-elicited defensive behavior is modulated by designer receptor manipulation of locus coeruleus |
| Location: |
WCC Hall A-C |
| Presentation Time: |
Monday, Nov 17, 2014, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM |
| Authors: |
*Y. GU, R. M. SEARS, J. E. LEDOUX;
Ctr. for Neural Sci., New York Univ., New York, NY |
| Abstract: |
Dysregulation of threat processing in the amygdala may contribute to the etiology of fear and anxiety disorders. Given that pharmacological treatments for fear and anxiety disorders often target monaminergic systems, it is possible that changes in tonic levels of monamine neuromodulators in the amygdala may contribute to these disorders. We are using Designer Receptors Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) to increase or decrease endogenous noradrenergic tone in central amygdala (CeA) through intraperitoneal or intracranial clozapine-N-oxide (CNO) injections during discrete phases of a cued Pavlovian threat conditioning paradigm. Our findings support the hypothesis that tonic changes in norepinephrine in the amygdala profoundly affect the expression of both defense responses elicited by unconditioned and conditioned threats.
|
| Support: |
NIMH grant R01 MH038774 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|