Producción CyT
Animal Behaviour Live - Annual online Conference 2024. - Evolutionary Roots of Fear: Cardiovascular Conditioning in Amphibians.
Congreso
Fecha:
2024Editorial y Lugar de Edición:
Animal Behaviour LiveResumen *
Evolutionary Roots of Fear: Cardiovascular Conditioning in AmphibiansFear, an ancient and essential emotion, serves as a protective mechanism that activates physiological responses to potential dangers, preparing organisms to respond effectively to threats. The processes underlying fear and anxiety involve both primitive and more recent brain structures. Among these primitive structures, the lateral and basal nuclei of the amygdala are crucial for storing fear-related memories. Understanding how these structures operate, especially in less complex animals like amphibians, can provide significant insights into their roles.We designed an experimental protocol using saline solutions as stimuli and monitored heart rate changes with implanted electrodes. Initially, we conducted 6 sessions of acquisition followed by 6 sessions of extinction. During the acquisition phase, a 300 mM NaCl saline solution (neutral) was presented, followed by an 800 mM NaCl solution (aversive). The toads showed a significant increase in heart rate when exposed to the aversive solution, but not to the neutral one. After 6 training sessions, the toads exhibited an increased heart rate in response to the neutral solution alone, demonstrating the development of anticipatory tachycardia.To study the extinction of this response, we replaced the aversive solution with a neutral one, which led to the gradual disappearance of the anticipatory tachycardia. This successful demonstration of cardiovascular conditioning allowed us to proceed with analyzing neural activity. Using the AgNOR technique, we identified heightened activity in brain regions associated with fear, particularly the amygdala. These findings suggest that the fear response mechanisms in amphibians share significant similarities with those in mammals.Our study highlights the importance of comparative research in understanding the evolutionary roots of fear and anxiety, providing a broader perspective on how these essential emotions are managed by different organisms across the animal kingdom. Información suministrada por el agente en SIGEVAPalabras Clave
FEARAMPHIBIANSCONDITIONING