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. 2023 Apr 25;42(4):112291.
doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112291. Epub 2023 Mar 22.

Cerebellar nuclei neurons projecting to the lateral parabrachial nucleus modulate classical fear conditioning

Kyoung-Doo Hwang  1 , Jinhee Baek  1 , Hyun-Hee Ryu  2 , Jaegeon Lee  1 , Hyun Geun Shim  1 , Sun Yong Kim  1 , Sang Jeong Kim  3 , Yong-Seok Lee  4
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Free article

Cerebellar nuclei neurons projecting to the lateral parabrachial nucleus modulate classical fear conditioning

Kyoung-Doo Hwang et al. Cell Rep. .
Free article

Abstract

Multiple brain regions are engaged in classical fear conditioning. Despite evidence for cerebellar involvement in fear conditioning, the mechanisms by which cerebellar outputs modulate fear learning and memory remain unclear. We identify a population of deep cerebellar nucleus (DCN) neurons with monosynaptic glutamatergic projections to the lateral parabrachial nucleus (lPBN) (DCN→lPBN neurons) in mice. While optogenetic suppression of DCN→lPBN neurons impairs auditory fear memory, activation of DCN→lPBN neurons elicits freezing behavior only after auditory fear conditioning. Moreover, auditory fear conditioning potentiates DCN-lPBN synapses, and subsequently, auditory cue activates lPBN neurons after fear conditioning. Furthermore, DCN→lPBN neuron activation can replace the auditory cue but not footshock in fear conditioning. These findings demonstrate that cerebellar nuclei modulate auditory fear conditioning via transmitting conditioned stimuli signals to the lPBN. Collectively, our findings suggest that the DCN-lPBN circuit is a part of neuronal substrates within interconnected brain regions underscoring auditory fear memory.

Keywords: CP: Neuroscience; auditory fear conditioning; cerebellar non-motor function; cerebellum; fear memory network; parabrachial nucleus; synaptic plasticity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests.

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