Summary: A new study has discovered the brain circuits responsible for individual differences in how animals adapt to repeated visual threats. Using advanced neuronal recording and manipulation tools, the researchers identified two different paths in the brain that drive persistent escape or rapid mice habituation.
These differences are made up of internal excitation states and beta oscillations in the tonsil, which suggests a neuronal base of why some people still fearing, while others adapt rapidly. The findings deepen our understanding of the plasticity of fear and can inform the treatments of anxiety -related disorders such as PTSD.
Key facts:
Two types of escape: mice show sustained escape (T1) or rapid habituation (T2) to visual threats. Distinating brain circuits: T1 involves SC -Vta -bla, while T2 follows the SC -md -bla circuit. Clinical implications: interrupted fear circuits can be anxiety, phobias and TTSD.
Source: SIAT
In a study published in Neuron, a research team led by Prof. Wang Liping of the Shenzhen Advanced Technology Institutes (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences revealed the neuronal circuit underlying individual differences in the visual escape habituation.
Emotional responses, such as fear behaviors, are evolutionarily preserved mechanisms that allow organisms to detect and avoid danger, ensuring survival.
Since Darwin is at the origin of the species (1859) proposed that individual differences promote natural selection, the understanding of behavioral adaptation has become essential to unravel biodiversity and survival strategies.
Repeated exposure to predators can cause divergent coping strategies (skill or awareness) that depend on sensory inputs, internal physiological states and previous experiences.
However, neuronal circuits underlying individual variability in the regulation of internal states and habituation to repeated threats remain little known.
To address this question, Prof. Wang team used advanced techniques, such as multichannel recording in vivo, fiber photometry, pupilometry and optogenetic manipulation to investigate how individual differences in excitement and internal states influence the habituation of the visual escape.
The researchers found that the different subcortical routes from the upper colicle to the cortical tonsil and insula roads that govern two visual exhaust behaviors in two groups of mice.
They identified two different defensive behaviors of rapid escape (T1) and rapid habituation (T2).
T1 implies the collulus (SC)/ventral -ventral tegmental (VTA) (VTA) -Buya (Bla) (bla) (bla), while T2 is based on the SC/Dorsomedial Tálamo Circuit (MD) -bla. The MD integrates the entrances of the SC and the insula to regulate the excitation and fear responses, while the oscillations in Bla modulate the states of fear.
“The deregulation of innate fear circuits is closely related to many mental health conditions, including phobias, anxiety and post -traumatic stress disorder (PTSP).
“Moving neuronal circuits underlying innate fear not only improves our understanding of emotional disorders, but also provides promising therapeutic objectives for clinical interventions,” said Professor Wang.
By elucidating the neural base of individual differences in the plasticity of fear, this study highlights the central role of brain states in stress adaptation.
“Our work provides new ideas about the modulation of excitement, internal states and adaptive responses to visual threats,” said Professor Liu Xuemei, one of the first authors of the study.
About this research and neuroscience research news
Author: Lu Qun
Source: SIAT
Contact: Lu qun – SIAT
Image: The image is accredited to Neuroscience News
Original research: open access.
“Neural circuit underlying individual differences in the vision -escape habituation” by Wang Liping et al. Neuron
Abstract
Neuronal circuit underlying individual differences in visual escape habituation
Emotions such as fear help organisms respond to threats.
Repeated exposure to predators leads to adaptive responses with unclear neuronal mechanisms behind individual variability.
We identify two escape behaviors in mice (personal escape (T1) and rapid habituation (T2)) linked to unique states of excitation under repetitive imminent stimuli.
Combining the multichannel recording, circuit mapping, optogenetics and behavioral analysis, we find parallel pathways from the upper colicle (SC) to the basolateral tonsil (bla) through the ventral tegmental area (VTA) for T1 and through the Middle Támo (MD) for T2. T1 implies an increased excitation, while T2 presents rapid habituation.
The MD integrates SC inputs and the island cortex to modulate excitation and defensive behaviors.
This work reveals neuronal circuits that support adaptive threat responses and individual variability.
