Regulation of Gephyrin and GABAAReceptor Binding within the Amygdala after Fear Acquisition and Extinction

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3301-04.2005
• Publication Date: 2005-01-12T19:35:57Z
• Authors: Jasmeer P. Chhatwal; Karyn M. Myers; Kerry J. Ressler; Michael Davis
• Keywords: Gephyrin; Basolateral amygdala; Extinction (optical mineralogy)

Both the acquisition and extinction of conditioned fear appear to require basolateral amygdala (BLA). Because these two forms learning have opposing effects on expression fear, we hypothesized that they may modulate GABAergic tone differentially within BLA. Previously, reported gene for GABA A receptor clustering protein gephyrin was significantly downregulated in BLA after (Ressler et al., 2002). Here demonstrate an analogous decrease levels, together with a surface receptors acquisition, as evidenced by decreased binding H3-flunitrazepam. In marked contrast, mRNA levels increased training, did H3-flunitrazepam binding. These results implicate both suggest modulation play role experience-dependent plasticity underlying types learning. Furthermore, physiologically relevant, dynamic alterations synapses occur during consolidation phase BLA-dependent interact previously described glutamatergic transmission initiate stabilize memory formation vivo .