Host: Prof. Dongmin Yin, East China Normal University
Abstract:
Anxiety is elicited by excessive apprehension about unpredictable threats. However, the neural circuit governing unpredictable threat induced anxiety remains unclear. Here, we found ventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (vBNST) GABAergic neurons displayed selective activation to unpredictable threats through coordinated excitatory input from insular cortex (IC) glutamergic neurons and inhibitory input from lateral nucleus of the amygdala (CeL) somatostatin (SOM) neurons. Using activity-dependent neuronal tagging technology, we found that unpredictable threat responsive cells in vBNST drive freezing and anxiety via projections to ventral lateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) and median nucleus of the amygdala (CeM) respectively. Finally, we identified KCNQ3 plays an essential role in hyperactivity of vBNST GABAergic neurons induced anxiety. These data revealed a forward inhibitory circuit that determines the selective activation of vBNST in unpredictable threat and anxiety, and suggest that KCNQ3 channel is a promising target for treatment of anxiety disorders following unpredictable stress.
Biography:
Zhe-Yu Chen, Ph.D., Professor and Ph.D. Advisor, recipient of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, Changjiang Distinguished Professor (Ministry of Education), and member of the National Program for Special Support of Eminent Professionals. He has received the National Excellent Doctoral Dissertation Award and the NARSAD Young Investigator Award, among others. His research focuses on the molecular and circuit mechanisms of learning and memory, aiming to uncover brain circuit mechanisms underlying stress-related disorders and depression—from molecular and cellular levels to whole-animal systems—and to explore potential intervention strategies. He has been supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) Key and General Programs, the NSFC Major Research Plan, and the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program). His work has been published in Science, Science Advances, Cell Reports, Journal of Neuroscience, Developmental Cell, Cerebral Cortex, and other journals, with over 4,000 citations. Professor Chen serves as a reviewer for journals including Journal of Neuroscience, Neuron, and Nature Communications.
This event is open to the NYU Shanghai, East China Normal University, and Neuroscience community.