GABAergic neurons in central amygdala contribute to orchestrating anxiety-like behaviors and breathing patterns
Xiaoyi Wang, Shaolan Bi, Ziteng Yue, Xinxin Chen, Yuhang Liu, Tianjiao Deng, Liuqi Shao, Xinyi Jing, Cuidie Wang, Yakun Wang, Wei He, Hongxiao Yu, Luo Shi, Fang Yuan, Sheng Wang
Abstract
Anxiety is characterized by dysregulated respiratory reactivity to emotional stimuli. The central amygdala (CeA) is a pivotal structure involved in processing emotional alterations, but its involvement in orchestrating anxiety-like behaviors and specific breathing patterns remains largely unexplored. Our findings demonstrate that the acute restraint stress (ARS) induces anxiety-like behaviors in mice, marked by prolonged grooming time and faster respiratory frequency (RF). Conversely, silencing GABAergic CeA neurons reduces post-ARS anxiety-like behaviors, as well as the associated increases in grooming time and RF. In actively behaving mice, stimulation of GABAergic CeA neurons elicits anxiety-like behaviors, concurrently prolongs grooming time, accelerates RF through a CeA-thalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVT) circuit. In either behaviorally quiescent or anesthetized mice, stimulation of these neurons significantly increases RF but does not induce anxiety-like behaviors through the CeA-lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPBN) circuit. Collectively, GABAergic CeA neurons are instrumental in orchestrating anxiety-like behaviors and breathing patterns primarily through the CeA-PVT and CeA-LPBN circuits, respectively. Anxiety involves abnormal respiratory responses to emotional stimuli. Here, the authors show that CeAGABA neurons, acting as a central hub, are instrumental in orchestrating anxiety-like behaviors and breathing patterns through the CeA-PVT and CeA-LPBN-preBötC circuits, correspondingly.