Excitatory connections between the prelimbic and infralimbic medial prefrontal cortex show a role for the prelimbic cortex in fear extinction

Roger Marek; Li Xu; Robert K P Sullivan; Pankaj Sah

doi:10.1038/s41593-018-0137-x

Excitatory connections between the prelimbic and infralimbic medial prefrontal cortex show a role for the prelimbic cortex in fear extinction

Nat Neurosci. 2018 May;21(5):654-658. doi: 10.1038/s41593-018-0137-x. Epub 2018 Apr 23.

Authors

Roger Marek¹, Li Xu¹, Robert K P Sullivan¹, Pankaj Sah²

Affiliations

¹ Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
² Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. pankaj.sah@uq.edu.au.

PMID: 29686260
DOI: 10.1038/s41593-018-0137-x

Abstract

We elucidated the intrinsic circuitry of the medial prefrontal cortex and its role in regulating fear extinction, using neuronal tracing and optogenetic stimulation in vitro and in vivo. We show that pyramidal neurons in layer 5/6 of the prelimbic medial prefrontal cortex project to pyramidal cells in layer 5/6 of the infralimbic cortex. Activation of this connection enhances fear extinction, redefining the role of the prelimbic cortex in extinction learning.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Brain Mapping
Extinction, Psychological / physiology*
Fear / physiology*
Female
Learning / physiology
Limbic System / cytology
Limbic System / physiology*
Male
Neural Pathways / cytology
Neural Pathways / physiology*
Neurons, Afferent / physiology
Optogenetics
Patch-Clamp Techniques
Prefrontal Cortex / cytology
Prefrontal Cortex / physiology*
Pyramidal Cells / physiology
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Rats, Wistar