Glutamate Inhibition within the Amygdala during Positive Memory Formation in Rats

Presenter and Advisor Information

Nicholas Brown, Illinois Wesleyan University

Submission Type

Event

Faculty Advisor

Joe Williams

Expected Graduation Date

2020

Location

Center for Natural Sciences

Start Date

4-4-2020 2:00 PM

End Date

4-4-2020 3:00 PM

Disciplines

Education | Psychiatry and Psychology

Abstract

Many studies have established that the amygdala is extensively involved in the processing of fear-based and negative emotions. Although most studies agree that the amygdala is involved in processing positive emotional stimuli, less is known about the neurochemical underpinnings of this process. The present study utilized a radial arm maze and a magnitude for reward memory task in which rats were trained to correctly associate percentages of sugar with correlating rewards. After learning the task, rats then underwent surgery to insert bilateral guide cannulae into their amygdala for future infusions. Following recovery from surgery, rats received infusions of the glutamate antagonist (inhibitor), ifenprodil (high dose: 3μg/μl or low dose; 2μg/μl), and a saline control solution over three separate testing days. After each injection, rats were placed back in the radial arm maze and performances (i.e., correct choices) were recorded for each treatment type. Results following all three treatment types will be discussed. It is hypothesized that inhibition of the glutamate system within the amygdala will significantly impair performance on this reward value task.

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Apr 4th, 2:00 PM Apr 4th, 3:00 PM

Glutamate Inhibition within the Amygdala during Positive Memory Formation in Rats

Center for Natural Sciences

Many studies have established that the amygdala is extensively involved in the processing of fear-based and negative emotions. Although most studies agree that the amygdala is involved in processing positive emotional stimuli, less is known about the neurochemical underpinnings of this process. The present study utilized a radial arm maze and a magnitude for reward memory task in which rats were trained to correctly associate percentages of sugar with correlating rewards. After learning the task, rats then underwent surgery to insert bilateral guide cannulae into their amygdala for future infusions. Following recovery from surgery, rats received infusions of the glutamate antagonist (inhibitor), ifenprodil (high dose: 3μg/μl or low dose; 2μg/μl), and a saline control solution over three separate testing days. After each injection, rats were placed back in the radial arm maze and performances (i.e., correct choices) were recorded for each treatment type. Results following all three treatment types will be discussed. It is hypothesized that inhibition of the glutamate system within the amygdala will significantly impair performance on this reward value task.