Fear and safety engage competing patterns of theta-gamma coupling in the basolateral amygdala
Open accessAbstract
Theta oscillations synchronize the basolateral amygdala (BLA) with the hippocampus (HPC) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) during fear expression. The role of gamma-frequency oscillations in the BLA is less well characterized. We examined gamma- and theta-frequency activity in recordings of neural activity from the BLA-HPC-mPFC circuit during fear conditioning, extinction, and exposure to an open field. In the BLA, slow (40-70 Hz) and fast (70-120 Hz) gamma oscillations were coupled to distinct phases of the theta cycle and reflected synchronous high-frequency unit activity. During periods of fear, BLA theta-fast gamma coupling was enhanced, while fast gamma power was suppressed. Periods of relative safety were associated with enhanced BLA fast gamma power, mPFC-to-BLA directionality, and strong coupling of BLA gamma to mPFC theta. These findings suggest that switches between states of fear and safety are mediated by changes in BLA gamma coupling to competitive theta frequency inputs.
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Theta-phase gamma-amplitude coupling in the amygdala has been implicated in periods of heightened anxiety.
“and in the amygdala has been implicated in periods of heightened anxiety (58).”
From Perineuronal nets, inhibitory interneurons and anxiety-related ventral hippocampal neuronal oscillations are altered by early life adversity (2019) · cites this paper as [58]
Synchronization of BLA oscillations to mPFC during safety extends to other LFP frequency bands in the BLA, including theta-coupled gamma, particularly in the fast gamma (70-120 Hz) range.
“This synchronization of BLA oscillations to mPFC during safety also extends to other LFP frequency bands in the BLA, including theta-coupled gamma, particularly in the fast gamma (70–120 Hz) range138.”
From Resolving the neural circuits of anxiety (2015) · cites this paper as [138]
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- Authors
- Stujenske, J. M., Likhtik, E., Topiwala, M. A., & Gordon, J. A.
- Affiliations
- Columbia University (US)
- New York State Psychiatric Institute (US)
- Corresponding author
- Gordon, Joshua A.
- Venue
- Neuron
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2014-08
- Volume
- 83
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 919-933
- ISSN
- 0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4141236
- OpenAlex
- W1980487320
- Cited by
- 303
- References
- 54
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 33 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 8.74
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Neuron (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Mental Health (P50MH096891, F32MH088103, R01MH081968)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Keywords
- theta-gamma coupling, basolateral amygdala, fear, safety, fear extinction, hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex, gamma oscillations, theta oscillations, neural oscillations, neuronal synchronization
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Conditioning, Psychological, Extinction, Psychological, Fear, Hippocampus, Male, Neural Pathways, Neurons, Safety, Theta Rhythm, Prefrontal Cortex, Mice, Gamma Rhythm, Basolateral Nuclear Complex
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