Prefrontal parvalbumin interneurons shape neuronal activity to drive fear expression
Abstract
Synchronization of spiking activity in neuronal networks is a fundamental process that enables the precise transmission of information to drive behavioural responses. In cortical areas, synchronization of principal-neuron spiking activity is an effective mechanism for information coding that is regulated by GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid)-ergic interneurons through the generation of neuronal oscillations. Although neuronal synchrony has been demonstrated to be crucial for sensory, motor and cognitive processing, it has not been investigated at the level of defined circuits involved in the control of emotional behaviour. Converging evidence indicates that fear behaviour is regulated by the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC). This control over fear behaviour relies on the activation of specific prefrontal projections to the basolateral complex of the amygdala (BLA), a structure that encodes associative fear memories. However, it remains to be established how the precise temporal control of fear behaviour is achieved at the level of prefrontal circuits. Here we use single-unit recordings and optogenetic manipulations in behaving mice to show that fear expression is causally related to the phasic inhibition of prefrontal parvalbumin interneurons (PVINs). Inhibition of PVIN activity disinhibits prefrontal projection neurons and synchronizes their firing by resetting local theta oscillations, leading to fear expression. Our results identify two complementary neuronal mechanisms mediated by PVINs that precisely coordinate and enhance the neuronal activity of prefrontal projection neurons to drive fear expression.
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Phasic inhibition of local parvalbumin-positive interneurons is necessary for cue-induced freezing behavior.
“which is necessary for cue-induced freezing behavior107.”
From Resolving the neural circuits of anxiety (2015) · cites this paper as [107]
The increase in prelimbic cortex activation is likely due in part to phasic inhibition of local parvalbumin-positive interneurons.
“This increase in prelimbic cortex activation is likely due in part to phasic inhibition of local parvalbumin-positive interneurons”
From Resolving the neural circuits of anxiety (2015) · cites this paper as [107]
mPFC theta rhythms originate as a result of phasic inhibition of parvalbumin interneurons residing there, which mediates local theta-rhythm phase resetting.
“These theta rhythms originate in the mPFC as a result of phasic inhibition of parvalbumin interneurons residing there, which mediates local theta-rhythm phase resetting107.”
From Resolving the neural circuits of anxiety (2015) · cites this paper as [107]
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- Authors
- Courtin, J., Chaudun, F., Rozeske, R. R., Karalis, N., Gonzalez-Campo, C., Wurtz, H., Abdi, A., Baufreton, J., Bienvenu, T. C. M., & Herry, C.
- Affiliations
- Université de Bordeaux (FR)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Herry, Cyril
- ORCID
- Venue
- Nature
- Published
- 2013-11-20
- Volume
- 505
- Issue
- 7481
- Pages
- 92-96
- ISSN
- 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-4687
- OpenAlex
- W2039641259
- Cited by
- 524
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 17 · 2025: 36 · 2024: 53 · 2023: 37 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 58 · 2020: 43 · 2019: 40 · 2018: 39 · 2017: 40 · 2016: 50 · 2015: 43 · 2014: 33
- FWCI
- 22.94
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
- Keywords
- parvalbumin interneurons, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, fear expression, auditory fear conditioning, disinhibition, theta oscillations, neuronal synchronization, basolateral amygdala, inhibitory interneurons, anxiety disorders, fear memory retrieval, optogenetic manipulation, single-unit recording, GABAergic circuits
- MeSH terms
- Action Potentials, Amygdala, Animals, Conditioning, Psychological, Extinction, Psychological, Fear, Interneurons, Male, Memory, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Models, Neurological, Neural Inhibition, Neural Pathways, Parvalbumins, Theta Rhythm, Prefrontal Cortex, Mice, Optogenetics
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