Divergent projections of the prelimbic cortex bidirectionally regulate active avoidance

PL (Prelimbic area) UBERON:8440032 functionally connects to BLA (basal amygdaloid nucleus) UBERON:0002887 · Rat

With ChR2 driven by the CaMKIIα promoter in PL and fibers over PL terminals in BLA, 15 Hz illumination increased avoidance and reinstated it after extinction, while ArchT-mediated silencing of the same PL terminals in BLA impaired avoidance; the authors treat this as a necessary excitatory PL-to-BLA pathway.

Fig. 2A-H; Results, 'PL projections to the BLA'

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

PL (Prelimbic area) UBERON:8440032 functionally connects to ACB (Nucleus accumbens) UBERON:0001882 · Rat

ChR2 was expressed in PL under a CaMKIIα promoter and an optic fiber was placed over PL axon terminals in ventral striatum; blue-light stimulation at 4 Hz and 15 Hz of these terminals reduced platform-mediated avoidance in a frequency-dependent way, indicating a functional PL axonal input to ventral striatum. Photosilencing the same terminals with ArchT had no detectable behavioral effect.

Fig. 1B-E; Results, 'PL projections to the VS'

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

BLA (basal amygdaloid nucleus) UBERON:0002887 functionally connects to ACB (Nucleus accumbens) UBERON:0001882 · Rat

CaMKIIα-ChR2 in BLA with fibers over BLA terminals in ventral striatum: 15 Hz illumination reinstated avoidance after extinction (effects during the standard test were at ceiling and not significant), and ArchT silencing of BLA terminals in ventral striatum impaired avoidance, supporting a functional excitatory BLA-to-ventral-striatum input.

Fig. 3A-H; Results, 'BLA projections to the VS'

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