Lateral Habenula and formation of fear conditioning memory

TOMAS SACHELLA; JORGE H MEDINA; MARINA R. IHIDOYPE; JOAQUIN PIRIZ

Córdboba

Congreso; XXXIII CONGRESO ANUAL SAN 2018; 2018

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencias

The Lateral Habenula (LHb) is a small brain structure that forms part of the epithalamus, which codifies negative motivational value and has been related to major depression. We have previously shown that LHb activity determines temporal stability of aversive memories. Fear Conditioning (FC) is a well established paradigm of associative learning mediated by well described neuronal circuits. In order to get an insight of the mechanisms by which LHb modulates temporal stability of aversive memories, we decided to test its function in FC. In our experiment, we inactivated LHb by local infusion of muscimol before training rats in FC. One week later we tested fear memory to context or tone. We found LHb inactivation disrupts both context and tone FC memory. Our results suggest LHb plays a general role in aversive and fear learning.