Prelimbic cortex inactivation prevents ABA renewal based on stress state

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Behavioral Neuroscience
• Psychology

Background:

• Interoceptive states, such as stress, can act as contextual stimuli influencing behavior.
• The prelimbic cortex (PL) is known to be vital for contextual control over operant actions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of the prelimbic cortex (PL) in stress-induced renewal of extinguished operant behavior.
• To determine if stress, as an interoceptive state, can serve as a contextual cue for ABA renewal.

Main Methods:

• Rats were trained on an operant lever press task with daily stressor exposure.
• The lever press response was subsequently extinguished in a non-stressful environment.
• ABA renewal was tested following exposure to a novel stressor in rats with and without PL inactivation (baclofen/muscimol infusion).

Main Results:

• ABA renewal of the extinguished operant response was observed in control rats after exposure to a new stressor.
• Rats with PL inactivation failed to show ABA renewal following stress exposure.
• These findings indicate that the PL is essential for stress to renew extinguished behavior.

Conclusions:

• The interoceptive state of stress can function as a contextual stimulus, initiating relapse of inhibited operant behavior.
• The prelimbic cortex (PL) plays a critical role in mediating the control of both external (exteroceptive) and internal (interoceptive) contexts over operant behavior.