Memories are not written in stone: Re-writing fear memories by means of non-invasive brain stimulation and optogenetic manipulations. (August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Borgomaneri, Sara; Battaglia, Simone; Sciamanna, Giuseppe; Tortora, Francesco; Laricchiuta, Daniela
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews. Volume 127(2021)
• Page Start: 334
• Page End: 352
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Subjects: Fear conditioning -- Memory consolidation -- Reconsolidation -- Noninvasive brain stimulation -- Optogenetic manipulations; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Behavior -- Periodicals; Ethology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiologie -- Périodiques; Comportement humain -- Périodiques; Animaux -- Mœurs et comportement -- Périodiques; Neurologie -- Périodiques; Animal behavior; Human behavior; Neurology; Psychophysiology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 573.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.04.036
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0149-7634

Abstract

Highlights: Erasing the emotional memories is crucial for the emerging of psychiatric disorders. Brain stimulation techniques represent a crucial tool to modulate fear memories. State-dependent TMS during reconsolidation is critical to manipulate fear memories. Optogenetic stimulation to reveal causal relationship between neural firing and fear processing. Abstract: The acquisition of fear associative memory requires brain processes of coordinated neural activity within the amygdala, prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus, thalamus and brainstem. After fear consolidation, a suppression of fear memory in the absence of danger is crucial to permit adaptive coping behavior. Acquisition and maintenance of fear extinction critically depend on amygdala-PFC projections. The robust correspondence between the brain networks encompassed cortical and subcortical hubs involved into fear processing in humans and in other species underscores the potential utility of comparing the modulation of brain circuitry in humans and animals, as a crucial step to inform the comprehension of fear mechanisms and the development of treatments for fear-related disorders. The present review is aimed at providing a comprehensive description of the literature on recent clinical and experimental researches regarding the noninvasive brain stimulation and optogenetics. These innovative manipulations applied over specific hubs of fear matrix during fear acquisition, consolidation, reconsolidation and extinction allow an accurate characterization of specific brain circuits and their peculiar interaction within the specific fear processing.