Extending the amygdala in theories of threat processing

Andrew S Fox; Jonathan A Oler; Do P M Tromp; Julie L Fudge; Ned H Kalin

doi:10.1016/j.tins.2015.03.002

Extending the amygdala in theories of threat processing

Trends Neurosci. 2015 May;38(5):319-29. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2015.03.002. Epub 2015 Apr 4.

Authors

Andrew S Fox¹, Jonathan A Oler², Do P M Tromp², Julie L Fudge³, Ned H Kalin⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; HealthEmotions Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Lane Neuroimaging Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA. Electronic address: asfox@wisc.edu.
² Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; HealthEmotions Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Lane Neuroimaging Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
³ Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; HealthEmotions Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Lane Neuroimaging Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.

Abstract

The central extended amygdala is an evolutionarily conserved set of interconnected brain regions that play an important role in threat processing to promote survival. Two core components of the central extended amygdala, the central nucleus of the amygdala (Ce) and the lateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) are highly similar regions that serve complimentary roles by integrating fear- and anxiety-relevant information. Survival depends on the ability of the central extended amygdala to rapidly integrate and respond to threats that vary in their immediacy, proximity, and characteristics. Future studies will benefit from understanding alterations in central extended amygdala function in relation to stress-related psychopathology.

Keywords: anxiety; cross-species; extended amygdala; gene expression connectivity; neuroimaging.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Amygdala / cytology*
Amygdala / physiology*
Animals
Fear*
Gene Expression
Humans
Neural Pathways
Neuroimaging
Neurons / physiology*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding