The amygdala is part of the behavioural reinforcement system modulating long-term potentiation in rat hippocampus

Long-term potentiation (LTP) in the dentate gyrus can be modulated and prolonged by emotional/motivational influences when concurrently activated. A similar effect on LTP can be obtained by stimulating the amygdala, suggesting that this limbic structure might be part of the neural system involved in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neuroscience 2003-01, Vol.119 (2), p.319-322
Main Authors: Almaguer-Melian, W, Martínez-Martí, L, Frey, J.U, Bergado, J.A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amygdala - drug effects
Amygdala - injuries
Amygdala - physiology
Analysis of Variance
Anesthetics, Local - pharmacology
Animals
Behavior, Animal - physiology
Behavioral psychophysiology
Biological and medical sciences
Drinking
Electric Stimulation
electrolytic lesions
Electrophysiology
emotion
Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials - drug effects
Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials - physiology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hippocampus - physiology
lidocaine
Lidocaine - pharmacology
Long-Term Potentiation - drug effects
Long-Term Potentiation - physiology
Male
memory
motivation
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Reinforcement (Psychology)
synaptic plasticity
Time Factors
Water Deprivation
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Summary:Long-term potentiation (LTP) in the dentate gyrus can be modulated and prolonged by emotional/motivational influences when concurrently activated. A similar effect on LTP can be obtained by stimulating the amygdala, suggesting that this limbic structure might be part of the neural system involved in behavioural reinforcement. To confirm this we have performed a series of experiments in which the basolateral amygdala was either temporary inactivated by injection of lidocaine or permanently lesioned electrolytically. Both manipulations completely blocked the reinforcing effect of a motivational stimulus (drinking after 24-h deprivation) on LTP at the perforant pathway-dentate gyrus synapses, whilst leaving intact the non-reinforced potentiation. These results demonstrate that the basolateral amygdala is a key structure within the system involved in the modulatory interaction between the affective status of the animal and the mechanisms of functional plasticity.
ISSN:0306-4522
1873-7544
DOI:10.1016/S0306-4522(02)00867-9