Somatostatin-Positive Neurons in the Rostral Zona Incerta Modulate Innate Fear-Induced Defensive Response in Mice.
10.1007/s12264-022-00958-y
- Author:
Shan LIN
1
;
Meng-Yue ZHU
1
;
Meng-Yu TANG
1
;
Mi WANG
1
;
Xiao-Dan YU
1
;
Yi ZHU
1
;
Shi-Ze XIE
1
;
Dan YANG
1
;
Jiadong CHEN
2
;
Xiao-Ming LI
3
Author Information
1. Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
2. Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China. jardongchen@zju.edu.cn.
3. Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China. lixm@zju.edu.cn.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Defensive behavior;
Innate fear;
Looming stimulus;
Somatostatin-positive neurons;
Zona incerta
- MeSH:
Mice;
Animals;
Zona Incerta/metabolism*;
Neurons/metabolism*;
Fear/physiology*;
Somatostatin/metabolism*
- From:
Neuroscience Bulletin
2023;39(2):245-260
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Defensive behaviors induced by innate fear or Pavlovian fear conditioning are crucial for animals to avoid threats and ensure survival. The zona incerta (ZI) has been demonstrated to play important roles in fear learning and fear memory, as well as modulating auditory-induced innate defensive behavior. However, whether the neuronal subtypes in the ZI and specific circuits can mediate the innate fear response is largely unknown. Here, we found that somatostatin (SST)-positive neurons in the rostral ZI of mice were activated by a visual innate fear stimulus. Optogenetic inhibition of SST-positive neurons in the rostral ZI resulted in reduced flight responses to an overhead looming stimulus. Optogenetic activation of SST-positive neurons in the rostral ZI induced fear-like defensive behavior including increased immobility and bradycardia. In addition, we demonstrated that manipulation of the GABAergic projections from SST-positive neurons in the rostral ZI to the downstream nucleus reuniens (Re) mediated fear-like defensive behavior. Retrograde trans-synaptic tracing also revealed looming stimulus-activated neurons in the superior colliculus (SC) that projected to the Re-projecting SST-positive neurons in the rostral ZI (SC-ZIrSST-Re pathway). Together, our study elucidates the function of SST-positive neurons in the rostral ZI and the SC-ZIrSST-Re tri-synaptic circuit in mediating the innate fear response.
