The Role of Basolateral Amygdalar Cholinergic Neuromodulation in Emotional Learning
The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is crucial for assigning emotional valence to sensory experiences, driving approach or avoidance behaviors during subsequent encounters. Particularly, the BLA plays a critical role in the coding, storage and retrieval of emotional learning. While traditionally viewed t...
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| Format: | Article |
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IMR Press
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Integrative Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.imrpress.com/journal/JIN/24/6/10.31083/JIN26868 |
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| author | Victor Manuel Torres-Garcia Emmanuel Rodriguez-Nava Gabriel Roldan-Roldan Donald B. Katz Jean-Pascal Morin |
| author_facet | Victor Manuel Torres-Garcia Emmanuel Rodriguez-Nava Gabriel Roldan-Roldan Donald B. Katz Jean-Pascal Morin |
| author_sort | Victor Manuel Torres-Garcia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is crucial for assigning emotional valence to sensory experiences, driving approach or avoidance behaviors during subsequent encounters. Particularly, the BLA plays a critical role in the coding, storage and retrieval of emotional learning. While traditionally viewed through the lens of memory consolidation, cholinergic signaling—mediated by dense inputs from the basal forebrain and abundant muscarinic receptors (mAChRs) in the BLA—plays a far more dynamic role. Acetylcholine, often described as a “memory molecule”, is central to this process, with scopolamine induced amnesia models underscoring its importance. Recent evidence suggests that cholinergic activity not only supports memory formation but also imparts emotional valence under specific conditions. This review examines the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which mAChR-mediated cholinergic signaling modulates BLA processing and the storage of emotional memories. We integrate psychopharmacological insights with loss and gain-of-function studies to demonstrate how cholinergic signaling in the BLA shapes approach and avoidance behaviors. Based on this evidence, we propose that acetylcholine’s influence in the BLA is highly context-dependent, reflecting its versatile role in emotional processing beyond mere memory consolidation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ee44a4df80bf48e985a09ce0596ff38c |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 0219-6352 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | IMR Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Integrative Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj-art-ee44a4df80bf48e985a09ce0596ff38c2025-07-08T06:54:03ZengIMR PressJournal of Integrative Neuroscience0219-63522025-06-012462686810.31083/JIN26868S0219-6352(25)00911-8The Role of Basolateral Amygdalar Cholinergic Neuromodulation in Emotional LearningVictor Manuel Torres-Garcia0Emmanuel Rodriguez-Nava1Gabriel Roldan-Roldan2Donald B. Katz3Jean-Pascal Morin4Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), 04510 Coyoacan, Mexico City, MexicoDepartment of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), 04510 Coyoacan, Mexico City, MexicoDepartment of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), 04510 Coyoacan, Mexico City, MexicoDepartment of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USADepartment of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), 04510 Coyoacan, Mexico City, MexicoThe basolateral amygdala (BLA) is crucial for assigning emotional valence to sensory experiences, driving approach or avoidance behaviors during subsequent encounters. Particularly, the BLA plays a critical role in the coding, storage and retrieval of emotional learning. While traditionally viewed through the lens of memory consolidation, cholinergic signaling—mediated by dense inputs from the basal forebrain and abundant muscarinic receptors (mAChRs) in the BLA—plays a far more dynamic role. Acetylcholine, often described as a “memory molecule”, is central to this process, with scopolamine induced amnesia models underscoring its importance. Recent evidence suggests that cholinergic activity not only supports memory formation but also imparts emotional valence under specific conditions. This review examines the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which mAChR-mediated cholinergic signaling modulates BLA processing and the storage of emotional memories. We integrate psychopharmacological insights with loss and gain-of-function studies to demonstrate how cholinergic signaling in the BLA shapes approach and avoidance behaviors. Based on this evidence, we propose that acetylcholine’s influence in the BLA is highly context-dependent, reflecting its versatile role in emotional processing beyond mere memory consolidation.https://www.imrpress.com/journal/JIN/24/6/10.31083/JIN26868basolateral amygdalaacetylcholinemuscarinic receptorlearningavoidance learningappetitive behavior |
| spellingShingle | Victor Manuel Torres-Garcia Emmanuel Rodriguez-Nava Gabriel Roldan-Roldan Donald B. Katz Jean-Pascal Morin The Role of Basolateral Amygdalar Cholinergic Neuromodulation in Emotional Learning Journal of Integrative Neuroscience basolateral amygdala acetylcholine muscarinic receptor learning avoidance learning appetitive behavior |
| title | The Role of Basolateral Amygdalar Cholinergic Neuromodulation in Emotional Learning |
| title_full | The Role of Basolateral Amygdalar Cholinergic Neuromodulation in Emotional Learning |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Basolateral Amygdalar Cholinergic Neuromodulation in Emotional Learning |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Basolateral Amygdalar Cholinergic Neuromodulation in Emotional Learning |
| title_short | The Role of Basolateral Amygdalar Cholinergic Neuromodulation in Emotional Learning |
| title_sort | role of basolateral amygdalar cholinergic neuromodulation in emotional learning |
| topic | basolateral amygdala acetylcholine muscarinic receptor learning avoidance learning appetitive behavior |
| url | https://www.imrpress.com/journal/JIN/24/6/10.31083/JIN26868 |
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