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Olfactory inputs modulate respiration-related rhythmic activity in the prefrontal cortex and freezing behavior
Andrew H Moberly1, Mary Schreck2, Janardhan P Bhattarai2
1Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. amoberly@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
Nature Communications
|April 20, 2018
Summary
Mice breathing at 4 Hz during fear freezing correlates with brain oscillations. Olfactory input disruption alters brain activity and prolongs freezing, showing its role in modulating fear responses.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Systems Neuroscience
Background:
- Respiration and nasal airflow correlate with central nervous system neural activity.
- The prelimbic prefrontal cortex (plPFC) is crucial for conditioned fear behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between respiration, neural oscillations, and fear behavior in rodents.
- To explore the role of olfactory inputs in modulating plPFC activity and freezing behavior.
Main Methods:
- Rodent models were used to study conditioned fear-induced freezing behavior.
- Circuit tracing and optogenetics were employed to map olfactory-plPFC connections.
- Electrophysiological recordings assessed neural oscillations in the plPFC.
Main Results:
- Mice exhibited steady ~4 Hz respiration during freezing, correlating with 4 Hz plPFC oscillations.
- Anatomical and functional connections between the olfactory pathway and plPFC were confirmed.
- Disruption of olfactory inputs reduced plPFC 4 Hz oscillations and prolonged freezing.
Conclusions:
- Olfactory inputs modulate rhythmic neural activity in the plPFC.
- Olfactory pathways play a significant role in regulating conditioned fear and freezing behavior.
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