Examining basolateral amygdala function in the development of inhibitory associations

When learning about rewards in our environment, we learn that certain cues come to predict the presence of particular rewards. This allows us to make decisions about where to exert effort based on the type of reward that may be available. We are also able to learn when specific cues predict the absence of a particular reward, which

allows for flexible, adaptive decision making. Allocation of time and energy resources can be directed away from rewards that are unavailable and toward rewards that are more likely to be available. The ability to use stimuli in the environment to guide behavior towards the most advantageous options is critical and often impaired in disease

states, including substance use disorder. Associations that predict the absence of reward are prevalent but understudied. This limits our understanding of the basic scientific principles of learning and prevents a complete understanding of how impairments in this kind of learning emerge in disease states like substance use disorder.

Therefore, the broad goal of this project is to reveal the neuronal mechanisms by which inhibitory reward associations are established. Accumulating evidence suggests that the basolateral amygdala helps us to learn that cues in the environment predict specific available awards, so-called outcome-specific reward memories. The basolateral amygdala is critical

for the encoding and retrieval of such cue-reward memories. Whether the basolateral amygdala also helps us learn when specific rewards will not be available is unknown, but plausible given evidence that is involved in learning inhibitory aversive associations. I will ask whether the basolateral amygdala is involved in encoding the inhibitory

appetitive associations and, if so, whether such associations are uniquely linked to a particular outcome. My hypothesis that the basolateral amygdala encodes identity-specific inhibitory reward memories to support adaptive decision making. In Aim 1, I will determine the temporal dynamics of basolateral amygdala activity during the

development of inhibitory associations. In Aim 2, I will determine whether basolateral amygdala activity is necessary and sufficient for the encoding of these associations. Evidence from our lab implicates projections from the lateral orbitofrontal cortex to the basolateral amygdala in helping us learn when specific rewards are available. Therefore,

in Aim 3, I will examine whether lateral orbitofrontal cortex projections to the basolateral amygdala are necessary for basolateral amygdala encoding of inhibitory reward associations. The resulting findings, whether for or against my hypothesis, will provide novel information about the basolateral amygdala and its function. This will facilitate

future work mapping the circuitry that is important for encoding inhibitory associations. I will conduct this project in the Wassum Lab at UCLA, with the guidance of a remarkable mentoring team. This environment will provide me with exceptional intellectual and technical training in systems and behavioral neuroscience, fully preparing me for

an independent research career studying inhibitory control over behaviors.