Heterogeneous associative plasticity in the auditory cortex induced by fear learning - novel insight into the classical conditioning paradigm

Abstract

We used two-photon calcium imaging with single-cell and cell-type resolution. Fear conditioning induced heterogeneous tuning shifts at single-cell level in the auditory cortex, with shifts both to CS+ frequency and to the control CS- stimulus frequency.

We thus extend the view of simple expansion of CS+ tuned regions. Instead of conventional freezing reactions only, we observe selective orienting responses towards the conditioned stimuli.

The orienting responses were often followed by escape behavior.

Keywords

• Auditory cortex
• plasticity
• fear conditioning
• single-cell resolution
• interneurons