Collateralization patterns of principal basolateral amygdala neurons delineate distinct output streams

Summary: The basolateral amygdala (BLA) projects to many brain regions through which it influences multiple functions. However, there is disagreement regarding the extent to which BLA axons collateralize. Using viral tracing, we found that distinct groups of BLA neurons send axon collaterals to diff...

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Main Authors: Ian T. Kim, Icnelia Huerta-Ocampo, Osmalyn Urena, Ryo Yamamoto, Denis Paré
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-08-01
Series:iScience
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225013501
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author Ian T. Kim
Icnelia Huerta-Ocampo
Osmalyn Urena
Ryo Yamamoto
Denis Paré
author_facet Ian T. Kim
Icnelia Huerta-Ocampo
Osmalyn Urena
Ryo Yamamoto
Denis Paré
author_sort Ian T. Kim
collection DOAJ
description Summary: The basolateral amygdala (BLA) projects to many brain regions through which it influences multiple functions. However, there is disagreement regarding the extent to which BLA axons collateralize. Using viral tracing, we found that distinct groups of BLA neurons send axon collaterals to different subsets of targets. A first group of BLA neurons projects to a hitherto underestimated combination of cortical and subcortical regions that regulate habitual or motivated behaviors, attention control, energy homeostasis, and olfactory processing. A second group of BLA neurons targets subcortical structures implicated in the genesis of defensive behaviors. By contrast, BLA neurons targeting cortical areas that support memory (hippocampus, rhinal cortices) collateralize sparingly. Overall, these results indicate that the BLA contains different clusters of neurons that contribute branching axons to distinct arrays of largely non-overlapping targets. These results impose a revision of how we conceptualize the BLA’s coordination with, and influence over, its targets.
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issn 2589-0042
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spelling doaj-art-24a8db441d8042738369e01575f5ed562025-08-20T03:02:36ZengElsevieriScience2589-00422025-08-0128811308910.1016/j.isci.2025.113089Collateralization patterns of principal basolateral amygdala neurons delineate distinct output streamsIan T. Kim0Icnelia Huerta-Ocampo1Osmalyn Urena2Ryo Yamamoto3Denis Paré4Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USACenter for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA; Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USACenter for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USACenter for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA; Department of Physiology, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa 920-0293, JapanCenter for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA; CorrespondenceSummary: The basolateral amygdala (BLA) projects to many brain regions through which it influences multiple functions. However, there is disagreement regarding the extent to which BLA axons collateralize. Using viral tracing, we found that distinct groups of BLA neurons send axon collaterals to different subsets of targets. A first group of BLA neurons projects to a hitherto underestimated combination of cortical and subcortical regions that regulate habitual or motivated behaviors, attention control, energy homeostasis, and olfactory processing. A second group of BLA neurons targets subcortical structures implicated in the genesis of defensive behaviors. By contrast, BLA neurons targeting cortical areas that support memory (hippocampus, rhinal cortices) collateralize sparingly. Overall, these results indicate that the BLA contains different clusters of neurons that contribute branching axons to distinct arrays of largely non-overlapping targets. These results impose a revision of how we conceptualize the BLA’s coordination with, and influence over, its targets.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225013501NeuroscienceSystems neuroscienceNeuroanatomy
spellingShingle Ian T. Kim
Icnelia Huerta-Ocampo
Osmalyn Urena
Ryo Yamamoto
Denis Paré
Collateralization patterns of principal basolateral amygdala neurons delineate distinct output streams
iScience
Neuroscience
Systems neuroscience
Neuroanatomy
title Collateralization patterns of principal basolateral amygdala neurons delineate distinct output streams
title_full Collateralization patterns of principal basolateral amygdala neurons delineate distinct output streams
title_fullStr Collateralization patterns of principal basolateral amygdala neurons delineate distinct output streams
title_full_unstemmed Collateralization patterns of principal basolateral amygdala neurons delineate distinct output streams
title_short Collateralization patterns of principal basolateral amygdala neurons delineate distinct output streams
title_sort collateralization patterns of principal basolateral amygdala neurons delineate distinct output streams
topic Neuroscience
Systems neuroscience
Neuroanatomy
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225013501
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AT osmalynurena collateralizationpatternsofprincipalbasolateralamygdalaneuronsdelineatedistinctoutputstreams
AT ryoyamamoto collateralizationpatternsofprincipalbasolateralamygdalaneuronsdelineatedistinctoutputstreams
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