Neuronal signalling of fear memory

Stephen Maren, Gregory J. Quirk

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

The learning and remembering of fearful events depends on the integrity of the amygdala, but how are fear memories represented in the activity of amygdala neurons? Here, we review recent electrophysiological studies indicating that neurons in the lateral amygdala encode aversive memories during the acquisition and extinction of Pavlovian fear conditioning. Studies that combine unit recording with brain lesions and pharmacological inactivation provide evidence that the lateral amygdala is a crucial locus of fear memory. Extinction of fear memory reduces associative plasticity in the lateral amygdala and involves the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Understanding the signalling of aversive memory by amygdala neurons opens new avenues for research into the neural systems that support fear behaviour.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)844-852
Number of pages9
JournalNature Reviews Neuroscience
Volume5
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2004
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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