Synaptic plasticity mechanisms regulating fear memory and fear extinction learning (B06)

• Subject Area: Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
• Term: from 2008 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 36555331

We combine electrophysiological recordings in acute slices from mouse amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex with behavioural studies of fear learning and fear extinction. We will investigate the role of dopaminergic and BDNF-dependent regulation of synaptic plasticity in the interneuron net-works of the basal amygdala (parvalbumin-, somatostatin interneurons) and in the central amygdala (PKC-INs) for cellular encoding of fear learning. By inhibiting BDNF expression and BDNF/TrkB signaling in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus we want to clarify the endogenous sources of BDNF that regulate fear extinction. In the hippocampus we will investigate dopamine-dependent modulation of time windows for successful spike timing-dependent plasticity in the context of trace fear conditioning.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 779: Neurobiology of Motivated Behaviour
• Applicant Institution: Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Volkmar Leßmann