Transient inactivation of the medial prefrontal cortex affects both anxiety and decision-making in male Wistar rats
In both humans and rats high levels of anxiety impair decision-making in the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) in male subjects. Expression of the immediate early gene c-fos as marker of neural activity in rat studies indicated a role of the medial prefrontal cortex (prelimbic and infralimbic region; mPFC) i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2011-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnins.2011.00102/full |
| _version_ | 1828758161394237440 |
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| author | Leonie ede Visser Leonie ede Visser Annemarie eBaars Jose evan 't Klooster Ruud evan den Bos Ruud evan den Bos |
| author_facet | Leonie ede Visser Leonie ede Visser Annemarie eBaars Jose evan 't Klooster Ruud evan den Bos Ruud evan den Bos |
| author_sort | Leonie ede Visser |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In both humans and rats high levels of anxiety impair decision-making in the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) in male subjects. Expression of the immediate early gene c-fos as marker of neural activity in rat studies indicated a role of the medial prefrontal cortex (prelimbic and infralimbic region; mPFC) in mediating the relationship between anxiety and decision-making. To delineate this relationship further and assess the underlying neurobiology in more detail, we inactivated in the present study the mPFC in male rats using a mixture of the GABA-receptor agonists muscimol and baclofen. Rats were exposed to the elevated plus maze (EPM) to measure effects on anxiety and to the rodent version of the IGT (r-IGT). Inactivation led to increased levels of anxiety on the EPM, while not affecting general activity. The effect in the r-IGT (trials 61-120) was dependent on levels of performance prior to inactivation (trial 41-60): inactivation of the mPFC hampered task-performance in rats, which already showed a preference for the advantageous option, but not in rats which were still choosing in a random manner. These data suggest that the mPFC becomes more strongly involved as rats have learned task-contingencies, i.e. choose for the best long-term option. Furthermore they suggest, along with the data of our earlier study, that both anxiety and decision-making in rats are mediated through a neural circuitry including at least the mPFC. The data are discussed in relation to recent data of rodent studies on the neural circuitry underlying decision-making. |
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9605ac0ecfd2477bbca4aa7da2a7442b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-453X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T00:37:51Z |
| publishDate | 2011-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-9605ac0ecfd2477bbca4aa7da2a7442b2022-12-22T01:27:04ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neuroscience1662-453X2011-09-01510.3389/fnins.2011.0010212180Transient inactivation of the medial prefrontal cortex affects both anxiety and decision-making in male Wistar ratsLeonie ede Visser0Leonie ede Visser1Annemarie eBaars2Jose evan 't Klooster3Ruud evan den Bos4Ruud evan den Bos5Utrecht UniversityRudolf Magnus Institute of NeuroscienceUtrecht UniversityUtrecht UniversityUtrecht UniversityRudolf Magnus Institute of NeuroscienceIn both humans and rats high levels of anxiety impair decision-making in the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) in male subjects. Expression of the immediate early gene c-fos as marker of neural activity in rat studies indicated a role of the medial prefrontal cortex (prelimbic and infralimbic region; mPFC) in mediating the relationship between anxiety and decision-making. To delineate this relationship further and assess the underlying neurobiology in more detail, we inactivated in the present study the mPFC in male rats using a mixture of the GABA-receptor agonists muscimol and baclofen. Rats were exposed to the elevated plus maze (EPM) to measure effects on anxiety and to the rodent version of the IGT (r-IGT). Inactivation led to increased levels of anxiety on the EPM, while not affecting general activity. The effect in the r-IGT (trials 61-120) was dependent on levels of performance prior to inactivation (trial 41-60): inactivation of the mPFC hampered task-performance in rats, which already showed a preference for the advantageous option, but not in rats which were still choosing in a random manner. These data suggest that the mPFC becomes more strongly involved as rats have learned task-contingencies, i.e. choose for the best long-term option. Furthermore they suggest, along with the data of our earlier study, that both anxiety and decision-making in rats are mediated through a neural circuitry including at least the mPFC. The data are discussed in relation to recent data of rodent studies on the neural circuitry underlying decision-making.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnins.2011.00102/fullAnxietyRatsdecision-makingMedial prefrontal cortex |
| spellingShingle | Leonie ede Visser Leonie ede Visser Annemarie eBaars Jose evan 't Klooster Ruud evan den Bos Ruud evan den Bos Transient inactivation of the medial prefrontal cortex affects both anxiety and decision-making in male Wistar rats Frontiers in Neuroscience Anxiety Rats decision-making Medial prefrontal cortex |
| title | Transient inactivation of the medial prefrontal cortex affects both anxiety and decision-making in male Wistar rats |
| title_full | Transient inactivation of the medial prefrontal cortex affects both anxiety and decision-making in male Wistar rats |
| title_fullStr | Transient inactivation of the medial prefrontal cortex affects both anxiety and decision-making in male Wistar rats |
| title_full_unstemmed | Transient inactivation of the medial prefrontal cortex affects both anxiety and decision-making in male Wistar rats |
| title_short | Transient inactivation of the medial prefrontal cortex affects both anxiety and decision-making in male Wistar rats |
| title_sort | transient inactivation of the medial prefrontal cortex affects both anxiety and decision making in male wistar rats |
| topic | Anxiety Rats decision-making Medial prefrontal cortex |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnins.2011.00102/full |
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