Source Paper
Amygdala Inputs to the Ventral Hippocampus Bidirectionally Modulate Social Behavior
Ada C. Felix-Ortiz, Kay M. Tye
Journal of Neuroscience • 2014
Resident-Juvenile-Intruder Home-Cage Test
Objective: Measure social interaction and exploration behavior of resident mice toward juvenile intruders in their home cage, and assess how amygdala-hippocampus projections bidirectionally modulate social behavior
This is a Resident-Juvenile-Intruder Home-Cage Test protocol using mouse as the model organism. The procedure involves 5 procedural steps, 2 equipment items, 3 materials. Extracted from a 2014 paper published in Journal of Neuroscience.
Model and subjects
mouse • Not specified in provided text • unknown • Not specified in provided text • Not specified in provided text
Study window
Estimated timing pending
Core workflow
Viral transduction of BLA pyramidal neurons • Chronic implantation of optical fibers • Resident-juvenile-intruder home-cage test
Primary readouts
- Intruder exploration time
- Time spent exploring the intruder
- Social interaction duration
- Social zone occupancy (in three chamber test)
Key equipment and reagents
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Protocol Steps
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Viral transduction of BLA pyramidal neurons
BLA pyramidal neurons are transduced using adeno-associated viral vectors (AAV5) carrying either channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) for excitation or halorhodopsin (NpHR) for inhibition, under control of the CaMKIIα promoter
Note: CaMKIIα promoter allows for cell-type specific expression in pyramidal neurons
View evidence from paper
“BLA pyramidal neurons were transduced using adeno-associated viral vectors (AAV 5) carrying either channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) or halorhodopsin (NpHR), under the control of the CaMKIIα promoter”
Chronic implantation of optical fibers
Optical fibers are chronically implanted to target BLA terminals in the ventral hippocampus for selective optogenetic manipulation
Note: Fibers allow for selective manipulation of BLA-vHPC projections
View evidence from paper
“Optical fibers were chronically implanted to selectively manipulate BLA terminals in the vHPC”
Resident-juvenile-intruder home-cage test
Resident mice are tested in their home cage with juvenile intruders introduced. Social interaction is measured through exploration behavior of the resident toward the intruder
Note: Test measures intruder exploration and social interaction behaviors
View evidence from paper
“the resident-juvenile-intruder home-cage test and the three chamber sociability test”
NpHR-mediated inhibition of BLA-vHPC projections
Halorhodopsin is activated to inhibit BLA terminals in the ventral hippocampus during the resident-juvenile-intruder test
Note: Inhibition significantly increased social interaction as shown by increased intruder exploration
View evidence from paper
“NpHR-mediated inhibition of BLA-vHPC projections significantly increased social interaction in the resident-juvenile intruder home-cage test as shown by increased intruder exploration”
ChR2-mediated activation of BLA-vHPC projections
Channelrhodopsin-2 is activated to excite BLA terminals in the ventral hippocampus during the resident-juvenile-intruder test
Note: Activation significantly reduced social behaviors as shown by decreased time exploring the intruder
View evidence from paper
“ChR2-mediated activation of BLA-vHPC projections significantly reduced social behaviors as shown in the resident-juvenile intruder procedure as seen by decreased time exploring the intruder”