Coherent gamma oscillations couple the amygdala and striatum during learning.

Full Abstract

The basolateral amygdala (BLA) mediates the facilitating effects of emotions on memory. The BLA's enhancing influence extends to various types of memories, including striatal-dependent habit formation. To shed light on the underlying mechanisms, we carried out unit and local field potential (LFP) recordings in BLA, striatum, auditory cortex and intralaminar thalamus in cats trained on a stimulus-response task in which the presentation of one of two tones predicted reward delivery. The coherence of BLA, but not of cortical or thalamic, LFPs was highest with striatal gamma activity, and intra-BLA muscimol infusions selectively reduced striatal gamma power. Moreover, coupling of BLA-striatal unit activity increased when LFP gamma power was augmented. Early in training, the rewarded and unrewarded tones elicited a modest increase in coherent BLA-striatal gamma. As learning progressed, this gamma coupling selectively increased in relation to the rewarded tone. Thus, coherent gamma oscillations coordinate amygdalostriatal interactions during learning and might facilitate synaptic plasticity.

Author information

Author/s: Popescu, Andrei T (AT); Popa, Daniela (D); Paré, Denis (D);

Affiliation: Center for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers State University, Newark, New Jersey, USA.

Grants: R01 MH073610 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Nature neuroscience (Nat Neurosci), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Jun; vol 12 (issue 6) : pp 801-7

Dates: Created 2009/09/03; Completed 2009/10/09;

PMID: 19430471, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/9/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

Comments and Corrections

CommentIn: Nat Neurosci. 2009 Jun;12(6):675-6. (PMID: 19471263)

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