Figure 5.

Proposed experimental approaches to investigate how positive and negative valence stimuli modulate BLA neuronal projectors (A) and BLA neurons (B). To identify whether inputs into the BLA carry information about positive and negative valence, BLA projectors will be identified using opsin-assisted circuit dissection by using infusion of retrograde virus encoding Cre recombinase within the BLA and laser stimulation in the brain area projecting to the BLA. (A) When recording in the brain region(s) that projects to the BLA, during behaviors driven by aversive and appetitive learning, we will be able to identify neurons projecting to the BLA (expressing the opsin in a Cre-dependent manner) and that encode positive and/or negative valence. (B) Using the same approach while recording BLA neuronal activity during behaviors driven by aversive and appetitive learning, we can determine whether BLA neurons encoding positive and/or negative valence information receive projections from different inputs.