Noradrenergic regulation of fear and extinction learning

2017 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report

• Project Area: Principles of memory dynamism elucidated from a diversity of learning systems
• Project/Area Number: 16H01291
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: JOHANSEN JOSHUA 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 脳科学総合研究センター, チームリーダー (80625351)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: Locus Coeruleus / Noradrenaline / fear / extinction / prefrontal cortex / amygdala

Outline of Annual Research Achievements

In the last fiscal year we examined how locus coeruleus noradrenaline neurons in the brainstem encode information when animals are learning to fear a sensory stimulus and when the animals realizes that the sensory stimulus is no longer threatening and reduce their fear responses (a process termed fear extinction). We found that some LC-noradrenaline neurons increased their firing rate in high fear states while others increased their response when animals realized they should no longer be afraid during extinction. In addition we found that LC-noradrenaline synaptic inputs to the amygdala are important for fear learning while synaptic innervation of the medial prefrontal cortex is important for extinction. Together with our previous results this showed that different populations of LC-noradrenaline neurons control fear and extinction learning.

Research Progress Status

29年度が最終年度であるため、記入しない。

Strategy for Future Research Activity

29年度が最終年度であるため、記入しない。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] A dopaminergic switch for fear to safety transitions (2018)
  • Author(s): Luo, R., Uematsu, A., Weitemier, A., Aquili, L., Koivumaa, J., McHugh, T.J. and Johansen, J.P.
  • Journal Title: Nature Communications Volume: In press Pages: In press
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Learning rules for aversive associative memory formation (2018)
  • Author(s): Ozawa, T. & Johansen, J.P.
  • Journal Title: Current Opinion in Neurobiology Volume: 49 Pages: 148-157
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.02.010
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Dysregulation of aversive signaling pathways: a novel circuit endophenotype for pain and anxiety disorders (2017)
  • Author(s): Yeh, L.-F., Watanabe, M., Sulkes-Cuevas, J. Johansen, J.P.
  • Journal Title: Current Opinion in Neurobiology Volume: 48 Pages: 37-44
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2017.09.006
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Modular Organization of the brainstem noradrenaline system coordinates opposing learning states (2017)
  • Author(s): Uematsu, A., Tan, B.Z., Ycu, E.A., Sulkes, J., Koivumaa, J., Junyent, F., Kremer, E.J., Witten, I.B., Deisseroth, K. and Johansen, J.P.
  • Journal Title: Nature Neuroscience Volume: 20 Pages: 1602-0611
  • DOI: 10.1038/nn.4642
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research