Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2025

Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Tool to Induce Plasticity in Pathways Relevant for Extinction Learning
Published on: August 21, 2015
A role for the subthalamic nucleus in aversive learning
Gian Pietro Serra1, Adriane Guillaumin2, Bianca Vlcek1
1Uppsala University, Department of Organism Biology, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden.
Abstract:
The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is critical for behavioral control; its dysregulation consequently correlated with neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, including Parkinson's disease. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) targeting the STN successfully alleviates parkinsonian motor symptoms. However, low mood and depression are affective side effects. STN is adjoined with para-STN, associated with appetitive and aversive behavior. DBS aimed at STN might unintentionally modulate para-STN, causing aversion. Alternatively, the STN mediates aversion. To investigate causality between STN and aversion, affective behavior is addressed using optogenetics in mice. Selective promoters allow dissociation of STN (e.g., Pitx2) vs. para-STN (Tac1). Acute photostimulation results in aversion via both STN and para-STN. However, only STN stimulation-paired cues cause conditioned avoidance and only STN stimulation interrupts on-going sugar self-administration. Electrophysiological recordings identify post-synaptic responses in pallidal neurons, and selective photostimulation of STN terminals in the ventral pallidum replicates STN-induced aversion. Identifying STN as a source of aversive learning contributes neurobiological underpinnings to emotional affect.
Related Concept Videos
Role of Amygdala in Memory
One of the...
Associative Learning
Classical conditioning, also known...
Avoidance Learning and Learned Helplessness
Avoidance learning occurs when an organism learns that a specific behavior can prevent an unpleasant outcome. For example, a student who receives a bad grade may start studying harder to avoid future poor grades. This behavior persists even when the negative outcome is no longer present. Avoidance learning is powerful because it maintains behavior in the absence of the...
Classical Conditioning in Daily Life
John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner famously demonstrated the development of fear through classical conditioning in their experiment with Little Albert. They paired the...
Instinctive Drift
Conditioned Taste Aversion
A notable characteristic of conditioned taste aversion is that it often requires only a single...

