Study 2 - Eye Movements Deactivate the Amygdala in Mice Mace et al , 2018

Описание: Recent studies have shed light on the neurological mechanisms that are involved in eye movement therapy effectiveness. This research is evidencing a specific role for eye movements in the deactivation of fear memories where they originate in the amygdala.

In a second study, using a functional ultrasound imaging system, Mace et al. (2018) identified 87 regions in the brains of mice that were activated following the introduction of a conditioned fear response. Although the primary purpose of the study was to test the viability of ultrasound imaging in mapping brain activations, unexpected limbic results were observed. With their heads anchored in place, mice tracked bars moving horizontally across the visual field with their eyes in a fashion similar to the guided eye movements used in trauma therapies. Results revealed that hemodynamic levels increased in 83 regions of the brain as expected, but unexpectedly decreased in the basolateral (BLA) amygdala, an area associated with fear memory formation. And because hemodynamic levels are an indirect measure of neuronal (electrical) activity, the team also planted electrodes in the primary visual cortex and the amygdala to measure neuronal spiking in those areas. Mirroring the changes in the hemodynamic data, spike range recordings increased in the visual cortex and decreased in the amygdala, providing evidence that eye movements are instrumental in extinguishing fear memories.

Mace, E., Montaldo, G., Trenholm, S., Cowan, C., Brignall, A., Urban, A., and Roska, B. (2018). Whole-brain functional ultrasound imaging reveals brain modules for visuomotor integration. Neuron, 100(5):1241-1251. Whole-Brain Functional Ultrasound Imaging Reveals Brain Modules for Visuomotor Integration - PubMed (nih.gov)