Representational dynamics during extinction of fear memories in the human brain

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 29, 2025

Extinction learning – the suppression of a previously acquired fear response is critical for adaptive behavior and core understanding etiology treatment anxiety disorders. Electrophysiological studies in rodents have revealed roles theta (4-12Hz) oscillations amygdala hippocampus during both extinction, engram research has shown that extinction relies on formation novel, highly context-dependent memory traces suppress initial memories. Whether similar processes occur humans how they relate to described neural mechanisms episodic retrieval remains unknown. Intracranial EEG (iEEG) recordings epilepsy patients provide direct access deep brain structures network, while representational similarity analysis (RSA) allows characterizing specific cues contexts. Here we combined these methods show signal safety rather than threat are characterized by stable context-specific representations coordinated across network. We further demonstrate context specificity predicts reoccurrence subsequent test period, responses. Our results reveal neurophysiological characteristics human brain. In addition, mutual competition provides mechanistic basis clinically important phenomena such as renewal retrieval.

Language: Английский

Basolateral amygdala oscillations enable fear learning in a biophysical model

eLife, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 12

Published: Aug. 14, 2023

The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is a key site where fear learning takes place through synaptic plasticity. Rodent research shows prominent low theta (~3–6 Hz), high (~6–12 and gamma (>30 Hz) rhythms in the BLA local field potential recordings. However, it not understood what role these play supporting Here, we create biophysically detailed model of circuit to show that several classes interneurons (PV, SOM, VIP) can be critically involved producing rhythms; promote formation dedicated shaped spike-timing-dependent Each class necessary for We find rhythm biomarker successful conditioning. makes use commonly found cortex and, hence, may apply wide variety associative situations.

Language: Английский