Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Trace Fear Conditioning in Mice
Published on: March 20, 2014
A role for the PI-3 kinase signaling pathway in fear conditioning and synaptic plasticity in the amygdala
1Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan.
Abstract:
Western blot analysis of neuronal tissues taken from fear-conditioned rats showed a selective activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3 kinase) in the amygdala. PI-3 kinase was also activated in response to long-term potentiation (LTP)-inducing tetanic stimulation. PI-3 kinase inhibitors blocked tetanus-induced LTP as well as PI-3 kinase activation. In parallel, these inhibitors interfered with long-term fear memory while leaving short-term memory intact. Tetanus and forskolin-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) was blocked by PI-3 kinase inhibitors, which also inhibited cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation. These results provide novel evidence of a requirement of PI-3 kinase activation in the amygdala for synaptic plasticity and memory consolidation, and this activation may occur at a point upstream of MAPK activation.
Related Concept Videos
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
MAPK Signaling Cascades
The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway
IP3/DAG Signaling Pathway
Role of Amygdala in Memory
One of the...

