Biomaterial Database

Enhancement of electrically elicited startle by amygdaloid stimulation. 1990

J B Rosen, and M Davis

Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06508.

Previous experiments showed that acoustic startle amplitude can be enhanced by electrical stimulation of the amygdala. Because the acoustic startle pathway is organized in a serial fashion, startle can be elicited electrically with progressively shorter latencies by stimulating different points along this pathway [i.e., ventral cochlear nucleus (VCN), paralemniscal zone (PLZ), nucleus reticularis pontis caudalis (RPC) or medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF)]. The present study evaluated the temporal characteristics of the facilitatory effect of amygdaloid stimulation on startle elicited electrically from different points along the acoustic startle pathway. A single 0.1-msec pulse was delivered to the central nucleus of the amygdala at various times before the onset of a 1-msec pulse in various sites in the startle pathway. The shortest amygdaloid stimulation-startle onset interval to significantly enhance startle was 0 msec for the VCN, 2 msec for the PLZ, 3 msec for the RPC and 7 msec for the MLF. These results indicate that amygdaloid stimulation enhances electrically elicited startle in a temporal manner that is complementary to facilitation of acoustic startle. The similarity of amygdala-stimulated enhancement and fear potentiation of electrically elicited startle is also discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D009046	Motor Neurons	Neurons which activate MUSCLE CELLS.	Neurons, Motor,Alpha Motorneurons,Motoneurons,Motor Neurons, Alpha,Neurons, Alpha Motor,Alpha Motor Neuron,Alpha Motor Neurons,Alpha Motorneuron,Motoneuron,Motor Neuron,Motor Neuron, Alpha,Motorneuron, Alpha,Motorneurons, Alpha,Neuron, Alpha Motor,Neuron, Motor
D009847	Olivary Nucleus	A brainstem nuclear complex. in the hindbrain, also referred to as the olivary body. The olivary nuclear complex is a part of the MEDULLA OBLONGATA and the PONTINE TEGMENTUM. It is involved with motor control and is a major source of sensory input to the CEREBELLUM.	Basal Nucleus, Olivary,Nucleus Basalis, Olivary,Olivary Body,Olivary Complex,Olivary Nuclei,Complex, Olivary,Nucleus, Olivary,Nucleus, Olivary Basal,Olivary Basal Nucleus,Olivary Bodies
D011149	Pons	The front part of the hindbrain (RHOMBENCEPHALON) that lies between the MEDULLA and the midbrain (MESENCEPHALON) ventral to the cerebellum. It is composed of two parts, the dorsal and the ventral. The pons serves as a relay station for neural pathways between the CEREBELLUM to the CEREBRUM.	Pons Varolii,Ponte,Pons Varolius,Pontes,Varolii, Pons,Varolius, Pons
D011919	Rats, Inbred Strains	Genetically identical individuals developed from brother and sister matings which have been carried out for twenty or more generations or by parent x offspring matings carried out with certain restrictions. This also includes animals with a long history of closed colony breeding.	August Rats,Inbred Rat Strains,Inbred Strain of Rat,Inbred Strain of Rats,Inbred Strains of Rats,Rat, Inbred Strain,August Rat,Inbred Rat Strain,Inbred Strain Rat,Inbred Strain Rats,Inbred Strains Rat,Inbred Strains Rats,Rat Inbred Strain,Rat Inbred Strains,Rat Strain, Inbred,Rat Strains, Inbred,Rat, August,Rat, Inbred Strains,Rats Inbred Strain,Rats Inbred Strains,Rats, August,Rats, Inbred Strain,Strain Rat, Inbred,Strain Rats, Inbred,Strain, Inbred Rat,Strains, Inbred Rat
D001931	Brain Mapping	Imaging techniques used to colocalize sites of brain functions or physiological activity with brain structures.	Brain Electrical Activity Mapping,Functional Cerebral Localization,Topographic Brain Mapping,Brain Mapping, Topographic,Functional Cerebral Localizations,Mapping, Brain,Mapping, Topographic Brain
D003056	Cochlear Nerve	The cochlear part of the 8th cranial nerve (VESTIBULOCOCHLEAR NERVE). The cochlear nerve fibers originate from neurons of the SPIRAL GANGLION and project peripherally to cochlear hair cells and centrally to the cochlear nuclei (COCHLEAR NUCLEUS) of the BRAIN STEM. They mediate the sense of hearing.	Acoustic Nerve,Auditory Nerve,Acoustic Nerves,Auditory Nerves,Cochlear Nerves,Nerve, Acoustic,Nerve, Auditory,Nerve, Cochlear,Nerves, Acoustic,Nerves, Auditory,Nerves, Cochlear
D004558	Electric Stimulation	Use of electric potential or currents to elicit biological responses.	Stimulation, Electric,Electrical Stimulation,Electric Stimulations,Electrical Stimulations,Stimulation, Electrical,Stimulations, Electric,Stimulations, Electrical
D005239	Fear	The affective response to an actual current external danger which subsides with the elimination of the threatening condition.	Threat Cues,Threat Sensitivity,Cue, Threat,Fears,Sensitivity, Threat,Threat Cue,Threat Sensitivities
D000161	Acoustic Stimulation	Use of sound to elicit a response in the nervous system.	Auditory Stimulation,Stimulation, Acoustic,Stimulation, Auditory