PL (Prelimbic area) functionally connects to BLA (Basolateral amygdalar nucleus)

Light activation of ChR2-expressing prelimbic glutamatergic terminals in the BLA reduced centre and open-arm exploration, while NpHR-mediated silencing of the same terminals relieved anxiety-like behaviour in Tmem74-/- mice, without effects on grooming or social novelty.

Made by an AI model reading the paper (claude-opus-5, extract@0.3.0); a second AI model (claude-opus-5) agrees.

ChR2 was expressed in CaMKIIa-positive PL neurons by AAV injection and an LED fiber was placed in the BLA so that PL axon terminals there could be photostimulated. Light delivery in ChR2 mice, but not YFP controls, reduced open-arm time and entries in the elevated plus maze and center time in the open field, and this anxiogenic effect was reversed by the delta-opioid agonist KNT-127, indicating a functional PL-to-BLA pathway. Activation of the same pathway did not change contextual freezing. Note the readout was behavior rather than recorded BLA activity.

Made by an AI model reading the paper (claude-opus-5, extract@0.3.0); a second AI model (claude-opus-5) agrees.

Photostimulation (20 Hz) of ChR2-expressing D1 neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex raised Fos immunoreactivity in the ipsilateral medial basolateral amygdala relative to the contralateral side and to Cre-negative controls. Directly illuminating the prefrontal D1 axon terminals in the medial basolateral amygdala likewise increased Fos there on the stimulated side.

Made by an AI model reading the paper (claude-opus-5, extract@0.3.0); a second AI model (claude-opus-5) agrees.

Optogenetic activation of PL ChCs produced a positive-going evoked potential in the ipsilateral BLA LFP 5-10 ms after light onset, interpreted as reduced PL-to-BLA drive.

Made by an AI model reading the paper (claude-opus-5-5, extract@0.3.0); a second AI model (claude-opus-5-5) agrees.