The role of the medial geniculate body: Medial nucleus (MGm) and posterior intralaminar nucleus (PIN) in auditory fear conditioning.
Published: 2006
Language: eng
Number of pages: 128
ISBN-13: 9780494213728
Description: Although previous research has shown that the amygdala is a key site of plasticity for the consolidation of auditory conditioned fear, other brain regions may also be involved. We examined the auditory thalamus, specifically the medial nucleus of the medial geniculate body (MGm) and the posterior intralaminar nucleus (PIN). Using viral vectors, we overexpressed the transcription factor CREB (cyclic adenosine 3,5-monophosphate  responsive element binding protein) specifically in the MGm and PIN. Mice with increased CREB levels in this region showed higher levels of conditioned fear compared to control group that received GFP. This indicates that the MGm and PIN is important in auditory fear conditioning. Moreover, mice with CREB overexpression in this region also displayed greater fear generalization to tones of frequencies other than the training frequency. This finding supports previous studies that the thalamo-amygdala pathway processes information quickly but imprecisely.
Notes: Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-03, page: 1395.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Toronto, 2006.

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