BLA to vHPC inputs modulate anxiety-related behaviors

Ada C. Felix-Ortiz, Anna Beyeler, Changwoo Seo, Christopher A. Leppla, Craig P. Wildes, Kay M. Tye
Neuron. 2013-08-01; 79(4): 658-664
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2013.06.016

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The basolateral amygdala (BLA) and ventral hippocampus (vHPC) have both been
implicated in mediating anxiety-related behaviors, but the functional
contribution of BLA inputs to the vHPC has never been directly investigated. Here
we show that activation of BLA-vHPC synapses acutely and robustly increased
anxiety-related behaviors, while inhibition of BLA-vHPC synapses decreased
anxiety-related behaviors. We combined optogenetic approaches with in vivo
pharmacological manipulations and ex vivo whole-cell patch-clamp recordings to
dissect the local circuit mechanisms, demonstrating that activation of BLA
terminals in the vHPC provided monosynaptic, glutamatergic inputs to vHPC
pyramidal neurons. Furthermore, BLA inputs exerted polysynaptic, inhibitory
effects mediated by local interneurons in the vHPC that may serve to balance the
circuit locally. These data establish a role for BLA-vHPC synapses in
bidirectionally controlling anxiety-related behaviors in an immediate, yet
reversible, manner and a model for the local circuit mechanism of BLA inputs in
the vHPC.

 

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