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Diverging neural pathways assemble a behavioural state from separable features in anxiety

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Kim, Sung-Yon, Adhikari, Avishek, Lee, Soo Yeun, Marshel, James H., Kim, Christina K., Mallory, Caitlin S., Lo, Maisie, Pak, Sally +7 more·2013·Nature

Abstract

Behavioural states in mammals, such as the anxious state, are characterized by several features that are coordinately regulated by diverse nervous system outputs, ranging from behavioural choice patterns to changes in physiology (in anxiety, exemplified respectively by risk-avoidance and respiratory rate alterations). Here we investigate if and how defined neural projections arising from a single coordinating brain region in mice could mediate diverse features of anxiety. Integrating behavioural assays, in vivo and in vitro electrophysiology, respiratory physiology and optogenetics, we identify a surprising new role for the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) in the coordinated modulation of diverse anxiety features. First, two BNST subregions were unexpectedly found to exert opposite effects on the anxious state: oval BNST activity promoted several independent anxious state features, whereas anterodorsal BNST-associated activity exerted anxiolytic influence for the same features. Notably, we found that three distinct anterodorsal BNST efferent projections-to the lateral hypothalamus, parabrachial nucleus and ventral tegmental area-each implemented an independent feature of anxiolysis: reduced risk-avoidance, reduced respiratory rate, and increased positive valence, respectively. Furthermore, selective inhibition of corresponding circuit elements in freely moving mice showed opposing behavioural effects compared with excitation, and in vivo recordings during free behaviour showed native spiking patterns in anterodorsal BNST neurons that differentiated safe and anxiogenic environments. These results demonstrate that distinct BNST subregions exert opposite effects in modulating anxiety, establish separable anxiolytic roles for different anterodorsal BNST projections, and illustrate circuit mechanisms underlying selection of features for the assembly of the anxious state.

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  • Optogenetic studies show projection-specific effects of BNST neurons on behavior.

    “This is supported by optogenetic studies showing the projection-specific effects of BNST neurons on behavior (87–90).”
  • The BNST and the CeA have been implicated in diverse behavioral functions.

    “The BNST and the CeA have been implicated in diverse behavioral functions (Davis et al., 2010, Janak and Tye, 2015, Kim et al., 2013)”

    From Dorsal raphe dopamine neurons represent the experience of social isolation (2016) · cites this paper as Kim et al., 2013

  • The neural systems implicated in anxiety by rodent studies are consistent with those identified in human patients.

    “This contrast notwithstanding, the neural systems implicated in anxiety by rodent studies are consistent with those identified in human patients26-34, underscoring the utility and translatability of these rodent studies.”

    From Resolving the neural circuits of anxiety (2015) · cites this paper as [31]

  • Individual subregions of the BNST differentially regulate separable features of the anxiety phenotype.

    “Moreover, individual subregions of the BNST have been shown to differentially regulate separable features of the anxiety phenotype31,85 (Fig. 3).”

    From Resolving the neural circuits of anxiety (2015) · cites this paper as [31]

  • BLA inputs to the anterodorsal BNST promote behavioral and physiological anxiolysis; local inhibition of anterodorsal BNST by the oval nucleus of the BNST is anxiogenic.

    “BLA inputs to the anterodorsal BNST promote behavioral and physiological anxiolysis; local inhibition of anterodorsal BNST by the oval nucleus of the BNST is anxiogenic31.”

    From Resolving the neural circuits of anxiety (2015) · cites this paper as [31]

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Authors
Kim, S.-Y., Adhikari, A., Lee, S. Y., Marshel, J. H., Kim, C. K., Mallory, C. S., Lo, M., Pak, S., Mattis, J., Lim, B. K., Malenka, R. C., Warden, M. R., Neve, R., Tye, K. M., & Deisseroth, K.
Affiliations
  • Stanford University (US)
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
Corresponding author
Deisseroth, Karl
Venue
Nature
Published
2013-03-20
Volume
496
Issue
7444
Pages
219-223
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W1971994650
Cited by
666
References
30
Citations by year
2026: 40 · 2025: 46 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 52 · 2022: 41 · 2021: 60 · 2020: 68 · 2019: 44 · 2018: 49 · 2017: 49 · 2016: 57 · 2015: 51 · 2014: 40 · 2013: 28
FWCI
32.05
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute
  • National Institute of Mental Health (F32MH088010)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
Keywords
bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, anxiety, ventral tegmental area, lateral hypothalamus, parabrachial nucleus, risk avoidance, respiratory rate, neural circuits, optogenetics, in vivo electrophysiology
MeSH terms
Action Potentials, Animals, Anxiety, Electrophysiology, Neural Pathways, Septal Nuclei, Mice, Optogenetics

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