Repository logo
 

Differential Effects of the Inactivation of Anterior and Posterior Orbitofrontal Cortex on Affective Responses to Proximal and Distal Threat, and Reward Anticipation in the Common Marmoset.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Stawicka, Zuzanna M  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7945-1872
Massoudi, Roohollah 
Oikonomidis, Lydia 
McIver, Lauren 
Mulvihill, Kevin 

Abstract

Structural and functional abnormalities of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) have been implicated in affective disorders that manifest anxiety-related symptoms. However, research into the functions of primate OFC has predominantly focused on reward-oriented rather than threat-oriented responses. To redress this imbalance, the present study performed a comprehensive analysis of the independent role of 2 distinct subregions of the central OFC (anterior area 11; aOFC and posterior area 13; pOFC) in the processing of distal and proximal threat. Temporary inactivation of both aOFC and pOFC heightened responses to distal threat in the form of an unknown human, but not to proximal threat assessed in a discriminative Pavlovian conditioning task. Inactivation of the aOFC, however, did unexpectedly blunt conditioned threat responses, although the effect was not valence-specific, as conditioned appetitive responses were similarly blunted and appeared restricted to a discriminative version of the task (when both CS- and CS+ are present within a session). Inactivation of the pOFC did not affect conditioned responses to either proximal threat or reward and basal cardiovascular activity was unaffected by manipulations of activity in either subregion. The results highlight the contribution of aOFC and pOFC to regulation of responses to more distal uncertain but not proximal, certain threat and reveal their opposing contribution to that of the immediately adjacent medial OFC, area 14.

Description

Keywords

Pavlovian, anxiety, orbitofrontal, reward, threat, Animals, Callithrix, Conditioning, Classical, Frontal Lobe, Prefrontal Cortex, Reward

Journal Title

Cereb Cortex

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1047-3211
1460-2199

Volume Title

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)

Rights

All rights reserved
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust (104631/Z/14/Z)
MRC (1506274)
Medical Research Council (1803314)
Medical Research Council (G1100307)