Biomedical Sciences Institutes, Neuroscience Research Partnership, Singapore.
Dev Neurobiol. 2012 Mar;72(3):395-403. doi: 10.1002/dneu.20873.
Emotional responses are triggered by environmental signals and involve profound changes at multiple levels, from molecular to behavior. Much has been learnt about two emotions, fear and anxiety, by studying mammalian models. In particular, neural circuits and the corresponding molecular mechanisms essential for the learning and retention of fear, as well as the activation of anxiety, are well known. In contrast, little is known about how these emotions are terminated. The zebrafish is a newcomer to the world of emotion research. A number of assays for fear and anxiety now exist, but the underlying neural circuitry is largely undefined. Recent experiments, however, appear to provide a hint as to how anxiety is downregulated. In particular, they point to an essential role for a circuit involving the posterior septum, medial habenula, and interpeduncular nucleus. This evolutionarily conserved circuit may fulfill a similar function in mammals.
情绪反应由环境信号触发，涉及从分子到行为的多个层面的深刻变化。通过研究哺乳动物模型，人们对两种情绪，恐惧和焦虑，有了很多了解。特别是，对于学习和记忆恐惧以及激活焦虑所必需的神经回路和相应的分子机制已经非常清楚。相比之下，对于这些情绪如何终止，人们知之甚少。斑马鱼是情绪研究领域的新成员。现在已经有了一些用于恐惧和焦虑的检测方法，但是潜在的神经回路在很大程度上还没有被定义。然而，最近的实验似乎为焦虑是如何被下调提供了一些线索。特别是，它们指出了一个涉及后隔核、中脑被盖和脚间核的回路的重要作用。这个在进化上保守的回路在哺乳动物中可能具有相似的功能。
