Journal Summary Inhibition of Amygdaloid Dopamine D2 Receptors Impairs Emotional Learning Measured with Fear-Potentiated Startle
February 26, 2013
Journal Summary
Inhibition of amygdaloid dopamine D2 receptors impairs emotional learning measured with fear-potentiated startle
Name: Jerrelei Jumalon
Student no. 11133317
Psychology 120-03 (4)
Instructors Name: Dr. Quentin Greba
The brain research report “Inhibition of Amygdaloid Dopamine D2 Receptors Impairs Emotional Learning Measured with Fear-potentiated Startle volume 899” by the authors Quentin Greba, Anna Gifkins and Larry Kokkinidis was published in the year 2006. With this research report, I will briefly summarize how the amygdala, a limbic structure, integrates positive and aversive emotional information and how it affects our D2 receptors. Together with the given questions that will lead us to the goal: to do a brief summary of the article entitled the “Inhibition of Amygdaloid Dopamine D2 Receptors Impairs Emotional Learning Measured with Fear-potentiated Startle” by the three authors namely Quentin Greba, Anna Gifkins and Larry Kokkinidis. Amygdala is a limbic structure implicated in mediating reward memories of goal-directed behaviors, and the establishment and the storage of long-term emotional memories. Its primary function is to integrate positive and aversive emotional information. (Greba, Gifkins & Kokkinidis, 2001) The authors hypothesized that the inhibition of D2 receptors in the amygdala may have been caused by the anti-paranoid effects of the said drugs. The authors infused the D2 receptors antagonist raclopride into the amygdala prior to the Pavlovian fear conditioning. They also investigated the effect of shock session attributed to a decrease in shock reactivity as a function of repeated shock exposure. Classical fear conditioning and acoustic startle testing were conducted in a single session allowing the concomitant assessment of shock reactivity with startle enhancement. (Grebba et al., 2001) The potentiated startle, used as a behavioral indicator of fear and anxiety, and defensive
Journal Summary
Inhibition of amygdaloid dopamine D2 receptors impairs emotional learning measured with fear-potentiated startle
Name: Jerrelei Jumalon
Student no. 11133317
Psychology 120-03 (4)
Instructors Name: Dr. Quentin Greba
The brain research report “Inhibition of Amygdaloid Dopamine D2 Receptors Impairs Emotional Learning Measured with Fear-potentiated Startle volume 899” by the authors Quentin Greba, Anna Gifkins and Larry Kokkinidis was published in the year 2006. With this research report, I will briefly summarize how the amygdala, a limbic structure, integrates positive and aversive emotional information and how it affects our D2 receptors. Together with the given questions that will lead us to the goal: to do a brief summary of the article entitled the “Inhibition of Amygdaloid Dopamine D2 Receptors Impairs Emotional Learning Measured with Fear-potentiated Startle” by the three authors namely Quentin Greba, Anna Gifkins and Larry Kokkinidis. Amygdala is a limbic structure implicated in mediating reward memories of goal-directed behaviors, and the establishment and the storage of long-term emotional memories. Its primary function is to integrate positive and aversive emotional information. (Greba, Gifkins & Kokkinidis, 2001) The authors hypothesized that the inhibition of D2 receptors in the amygdala may have been caused by the anti-paranoid effects of the said drugs. The authors infused the D2 receptors antagonist raclopride into the amygdala prior to the Pavlovian fear conditioning. They also investigated the effect of shock session attributed to a decrease in shock reactivity as a function of repeated shock exposure. Classical fear conditioning and acoustic startle testing were conducted in a single session allowing the concomitant assessment of shock reactivity with startle enhancement. (Grebba et al., 2001) The potentiated startle, used as a behavioral indicator of fear and anxiety, and defensive