Being Vigilant: New Data on BNST
Connectivity in the Nonhuman Primate
Julie L. Fudge, MD
Departments of Neuroscience and Psychiatry
No disclosures or conflicts of interest
Anticipation of future events
can be pleasant or
unpleasant, depending on
expectations
Past experience shapes
expectations of the future
Anticipatory anxiety
can be adaptive, a
mechanism to
protect the organism
should the past
repeat itself
Hermann MJ Human
Brain Mapping 2016
Brain activity during anticipation of aversive stimulus
(A) Activation of the right basal forebrain during sustained anticipation of aversion, as
overlaid on an anatomical atlas (Mai et al. 1998).
Daniel W. Grupe et al. Cereb. Cortex 2013;23:1874-1883
Sustained anticipation of aversion
Torrisi et al, Human
Brain Mapping, 2015
Resting state, 7T
Using the BNST as a seed: what is the ‘resting
state’ intrinsic activity in normal human subjects
Neural activations correlated with
threat responses in monkeys
Fox AS et al , PNAS, 2015
WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF THE ‘THREAT
CIRCUIT’ AT A CELLULAR LEVEL?
BNST is embedded in the ‘central extended amygdala’
BSTL
SLEAc
A.
CeN
SLEAc
B.
Fudge, 2001
BSTL
CeN
SLEAc
SLEAc
A. B.
Fudge, 2001
Lesion/inactivation studies show functional
dissociations between BNST and CeN
BNST related to
uncertainty,
predator odor,
unconditioned
stimuli such as
light (rodents)
(Fendt, 2003; Qi , Walker,
Lee).
CeN is more
classically
related to
conditioned fear
responses (Walker
and Davis 1997)
Heimer, Alheid,
deOlmos 1988, 1999
Johnston, 1923
Given the
proposed specific
role of the BNST in
anticipatory, long
lasting threat
responses, how
does the
organization of the
extended
amygdala make
sense?
amygdala
deCampo and Fudge, JCN,
2013
DOING THE CROSS-CHECK:
INJECTING ANTEROGRADE
TRACERS INTO RETROGRADELY
LABELED SITES
MULTIPLE ANTEROGRADE INJECTIONS IN AMYGDALA
ANTEROGRADE INJECTIONS IN INSULA
ANTEROGRADE INJECTIONS IN AREA 25 (SUBG ACC)
AMYGDALA
ANTERIOR CINGULATE
MIDLINE THALAMUS
INSULA
CeN
BSTL
HIPPOCAMPUS
Central nucleus projections
to the BSTL--retrograde
Oler et al. Brain Structure and
Function, 2016
Central nucleus projections
to the BSTL--anterograde
Oler et al. Brain Structure and Function, 2016
BSTL projections to the CeN--
retrograde
Oler et al. Brain Structure and Function, 2016
BSTL projections to the CeN--
anterograde
Oler et al. Brain Structure and Function, 2016
IMMEDIATE FEAR
RESPONSES
LONG-LASTING
ANXIETY-LIKE
RESPONSE TO
UNCERTAINTY
The
BNST/CeN
can’t be
separated.
Anatomy
suggests that
more fear
experiences
make you
more wary
about
uncertainty Oler et al. Brain Structure and Function, 2016
HIPPOCAMPUS
CeN
BSTL
Anticipation of
aversive or
uncertain
events
Coded based on past
memories?
Sensitized by episodes of fear learning?
Supported by NIMH R0163291,
F30MH 096502
Emily Kelly, PhD
Dana Helmreich, PhD
Danielle deCampo,
PhD
Michele Saul, PhD
Nancy Bui
Julia Iourinets
Brian Ho
Ben Berg
Giovanna Braganza
Shahyan Rehman
Nanette Alcock
FUDGE Laboratory
Ned Kalin’s group:
Jonathan Oler
Andrew Fox
Rothem Kovner

Fudge SOBP 2016