Fear Conditioning Michael Davis’ Ponca Symposium Presentation (notes from)
Conditioning Stimulus – e.g. food Response – e.g. salivation Conditioned Stimulus (CS) –Bell rung always just before the food –i.e. paired with unconditioned stimulus US Conditioned Response (CR) –Unpaired with US (bell without food) –Salivation Same as UR
Fear Conditioning Unconditioned Stimulus (US) – shock Unconditioned Response (UR) – freezing CS –Light or sound (cannot cause UR alone) –i.e. paired with US CR –Unpaired with US (sound without shock) –Freezing Same as UR
Fear Conditioning - another example US – sudden loud noise UR – startle CS ~ Fear Stimulus – shock or predator –Pairing fear stimulus with US produces a greater startle response Following training US alone produces… ………..enhanced fear startle
Extinction of Fear Conditioning Extinction is NOT an erasure of original fear memory Extinction Actively inhibits memory Extinction is Context specific Extinction of Fear may be disrupted by stress
Fear Conditioning Neurocircuitry Perirhinal Ctx Retina LGN Visual Ctx Visual Pathway LA + BLA CeAAmygdalaStartle Ear CRN PnC Spinal Cord Deep Sc/Me
Extinction Actively Inhibits Fear Memory