Acquisition of specific response–outcome associations requires NMDA receptor activation in the basolateral amygdala but not in the insular cortex
Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. 2016-02-01; 128: 40-45
DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2015.12.005
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1. Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2016 Feb;128:40-5. doi: 10.1016/j.nlm.2015.12.005. Epub 2015
Dec 29.
Acquisition of specific response-outcome associations requires NMDA receptor
activation in the basolateral amygdala but not in the insular cortex.
Parkes SL(1), Ferreira G(2), Coutureau E(3).
Author information:
(1)INRA, Nutrition and Integrative Neurobiology, UMR 1286, 33076 Bordeaux,
France; CNRS, Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d’Aquitaine,
UMR 5287, 33076 Bordeaux, France; Université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France.
Electronic address: .
(2)INRA, Nutrition and Integrative Neurobiology, UMR 1286, 33076 Bordeaux,
France; Université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France.
(3)CNRS, Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d’Aquitaine, UMR
5287, 33076 Bordeaux, France; Université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France.
The basolateral amygdala (BLA) and the gustatory region of the insular cortex
(IC) are required for the encoding and retrieval of outcome value. Here, we
examined if these regions are also necessary to learn associations between
actions and their outcomes. Hungry rats were first trained to press two levers
for a common outcome. Next, specific response-outcome (R-O) associations were
introduced such that each response now earned a distinct food outcome. Prior to
each specific R-O training session, rats received a bilateral infusion of the
N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, DL-APV, into either the BLA or
the IC. One of the two outcomes was then devalued immediately prior to a choice
test. Inhibition of NMDA receptor activity in the BLA, but not the IC, during the
acquisition of specific R-O associations abolished selective devaluation. These
results indicate that the BLA is critical for learning the association between
actions and their specific consequences.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2015.12.005
PMID: 26740161 [Indexed for MEDLINE]