Neuronal activity in the basolateral amygdala following olfactory threat conditioning, extinction and second order conditioning

This thesis investigates the neuronal activities within the basolateral amygdala (BLA) in response to olfactory threat conditioning, extinction and second order conditioning. With a focus on neuronal representation underlying memory processing, I employed advanced techniques such as viral transduction, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry in both young and aged Sprague-Dawley rats. Results demonstrate that the BLA is critical in olfactory threat memory acquisition and extinction in animal models. Furthermore, the study reveals age-related differences in extinction learning, suggesting alterations in NMDAR function and amygdala activity with aging. Using a tTA-c-Fos/TRE-GFP double transgene approach, I showed that sensory cues involved in second order conditioning merged their representations in the BLA. These findings give us a deeper understanding of the neural basis of odor threat conditioning, extinction and higher order learning, offering potential insights for addressing anxiety-related disorders and the impact of aging on cognitive functions.