Roles of lateral amygdala glucocorticoid receptor in modulation of fear memory

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25830005
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: University of Toyama
• Principal Investigator: Inoue Ran 富山大学, 大学院医学薬学研究部(医学), 助教 (70401817)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 扁桃体 / 恐怖記憶 / ストレス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is critical for signaling mediated by stress-induced levels of glucocorticoids. The action of GR on emotional memory varies depending on its distribution in specific brain regions. However, the region-specific role of GR in the lateral nucleus of the amygdala (LA) in fear learning and memory remains unclear. By using a genetic approach and the paradigm of Pavlovian fear conditioning, we found that disruption of LAGR resulted in an auditory-cued fear memory deficit only when the conditioning was strengthened. In response to a single restraint stress (RS) prior to fear conditioning, both control and LAGR knockout (KO) mice exhibited enhancement in contextual fear memory. In contrast, a suppressive effect of prior RS on auditory-cued fear memory, observed in control mice 1 h before conditioning, was attenuated in LAGRKO mice. These findings suggest that LAGR plays differential roles in different stress-modulated patterns of auditory-cued fear memory.

Free Research Field

分子神経科学