Figure 3.

Photoactivation of Opto-β₂AR in the BLA promotes anxiety-like behavior. (a) Bilateral viral injection sites and optic fiber implants. (b) Viral expression of lenti-CaMKIIα-opto-β₂AR-mCherry in the BLA (scale bar=50 μm). (c) Behavior diary. Representative traces of control (d) and opto-β₂AR^BLA/CaMKIIα (e) mice in OFT. (f) Cumulative time course shows opto-β₂AR^BLA/CaMKIIα (orange) mice spend less time in the center of an open field compared with controls (black) while receiving light stimulation (473 nm, 5 s off/on; **P<0.01, via multiple unpaired Student's t-tests). (g) In the OFT, viral control (black) and opto-β₂AR^BLA/CaMKIIα (orange) mice do not differ in total distance traveled.