Data from: Network-level changes in the brain underlie fear memory strength
Data files
Dec 02, 2023 version files 14.04 KB
Abstract
The strength of a fear memory significantly influences whether it drives adaptive or maladaptive behavior in the future. Yet, how mild and strong fear memories differ in underlying biology is not well understood. We hypothesized that this distinction may not be exclusively the result of changes within specific brain regions, but rather the outcome of collective changes in connectivity across multiple regions within the neural network. To test this, rats were fear conditioned in protocols of varying intensities to generate mild or strong memories. Neuronal activation driven by recall was measured using cfos immunohistochemistry in 12 brain regions implicated in fear learning and memory. The interregional coordinated brain activity was computed and graph-based functional networks were generated to compare how mild and strong fear memories differ at the systems level. Our results show that mild fear recall is supported by a well-connected brain network with small-world properties in which the amygdala is well-positioned to be modulated by other regions. In contrast, this connectivity is disrupted in strong fear memories and the amygdala is isolated from other regions. These findings indicate that the neural systems underlying mild and strong fear memories differ, with implications for understanding and treating disorders of fear dysregulation.
README: Network-Level Changes in the Brain Underlie Fear Memory Strength
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.280gb5mw3
This data shows the behavior and cfos expression patterns across 12 brain structures of rats subjected to different fear conditioning protocols.
Description of the data and file structure
Wide csv files displaying groups (NS/No shock, 2S/2 shocks, or 10S/10 shocks), sessions, and measurements.
JHelife2023_Fig1A_middle: columns '1' to '12' display freezing values (in seconds) in each 1-minute bin during the training session.
JHelife2023_Fig1A_bottom_leftmiddle: columns 'Test A' and 'Test B' show freezing values (in seconds) in each test session. The column 'Index' shows the calculated discrimination index between tests, and NA stands for 'not applicable'.
JHelife2023_Fig1A_bottom_right: columns show the measured behavior in an open field arena (mean velocity in cm/s; distance moved in cm; time in the center in seconds; time in corners in seconds; the number of quadrant crossings; the number of crossings in the center area).
JHelife2023_Fig1B: columns 5' to 30' show freezing behavior (in seconds) in each 5-minute bin during an extinction session. The 'Test' column shows freezing behavior (in seconds) in a test session conducted the next day.
JHelife2023_Fig1C: the column 'TR' informs the group based on the conditioning protocol used. the column 'Drug' informs the pharmacological treatment applied after a reactivation session (Veh = Vehicle; Aniso = Anisomycin). The columns 'React' and 'Test" show the freezing behavior (in seconds) recorded during a reactivation and a test session, respectively.
JHelife2023_Fig2: the column 'Freezing' shows the freezing behavior (in seconds) during a test session conducted 90 minutes before brain collection. The columns named with brain areas (eg CA1, CA3, DG, etc) show normalized cfos expression in each brain area (for more details, see the methods section in the source article).
Sharing/Access information
Haubrich & Nader (2023). Network-Level Changes in the Brain Underlie Fear Memory Strength. eLife
Code/Software
Code is available at github.com/johaubrich