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Pavlovian fear memory induced by activation in the anterior cingulate cortex
Jianrong Tang1, Shanelle Ko, Hoi-Ki Ding
1Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto Centre for the Study of Pain, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, Rm 3342, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada. jtang@cns.neusc.bcm.tmc.edu
Molecular Pain
|April 9, 2005
Summary
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) plays a key role in pain unpleasantness and fear memory. Its excitatory activity contributes to pain-related fear and descending pain modulation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pain Research
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Background:
- Identifying brain regions for pain unpleasantness is crucial.
- The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is a potential key region.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the ACC in pain unpleasantness and fear memory.
- To determine if ACC neuronal activity modulates pain perception and fear responses.
Main Methods:
- Direct stimulation of the ACC in mice.
- Inhibition of ACC activity using muscimol (a GABAA receptor agonist).
- Activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors in the ACC.
Main Results:
- ACC stimulation induced fear-like freezing and long-term fear memory.
- ACC inhibition blocked fear memory formation.
- ACC activation enhanced escape responses in pain tests.
Conclusions:
- Excitatory ACC activity is essential for pain-related fear memory.
- The ACC modulates descending pain pathways, influencing spinal nociception.