Laboratory of Fear Learning

Summary:

Our lab studies the mechanisms of emotional regulation using extinction of conditioned fear. Much of what is known about extinction comes from animal models using Pavlovian fear conditioning. We found that a subregion of the prefrontal cortex, the infralimbic cortex (IL), is necessary for extinction (fear inhibition). Moreover, we found that another mPFC subregion, the prelimbic cortex (PL), is necessary for fear expression. We suggest that IL inhibits fear by inhibiting amygdala output, whereas PL drives fear by increasing amygdala output. In addition to our rat studies, we are now studying fear in humans, with the goal of developing new treatments for anxiety disorders.

People:

• PI: Quirk, Gregory, Ph.D.
  

Member: Sotres, Francisco

Resources:

Instruments

• Cedrus RB-830 color response pad ( Response pad )
  

• Coulbourn 250MH2 video splitter ( Video splitter )
  

• Coulbourn H13-13 shocker ( Animal shocker )
  

• LabLinc ( Analog-to-digital converter )
  

• Leica cryostat ( Cryostat )
  

• Olympus microscope ( Microscope )
  

  Camera and Metamorph software.

• Plexon Multichannel Acquisition Processor 16 channel system ( Multichannel acquisition system )
  

  Lab has two of these instruments. 16 channel system

• Plexon Multichannel Acquisition Processor 32 channel system ( Multichannel acquisition system )
  

  32 channel system

• Rat test cage ( Animal cage )
  

  12 Rat test cages

• Skin conductance coupler ( Skin electrode )
  

• Skin conductance electrode 8mm ( Skin electrode )
  

• Transcutaneus aversive finger stimulator ( Finger stimulator )
  

• Universal switching interface ( Analog-to-digital converter )
  

Software

• FreezeScan ( Software )
  

  Analyzes video of mouse research subjects for freezing behavior. "Freezing behavior has found wide applications and has become a standard experiment in the study of learning and memory in areas such as molecular biology, genetics, and cognitive science. However, manual observation of freezing behavior is tedious, can contain subjective bias, and suffers from lack of reliability, consistency and practicality. Moreover, it is slow and labor intensive, thus making it impossible to conduct experiments in large quantities. FreezeScan is a tool for automatically detecting freezing states in rodents that fulfills this demand for high throughput screening in Fear Conditioning experiments."

• MetaMorph ( Software )
  

  "MetaMorph Microscopy Automation & Image Analysis Software is the industry standard for automated microscope acquisition, device control, and image analysis, bringing microscopists greater understanding of cell morphology, function, and behavior."

• SuperLab ( Software )
  

  Stimulus presentation software.

Web Links:

• http://www.md.rcm.upr.edu/quirk/Home.html