*Abstract*
The amygdala is a well-studied structure in the brain implicated in
emotional learning, especially that of fear learning. More specifically,
many studies have shown that the basolateral amygdala (BLA) is a key
component in acquiring and expressing fear conditioning. A previous
experiment from our lab showed that hm4Di inactivation of the BLA during
contextual fear learning reduced freezing during a subsequent memory
retrieval session. Our lab is now using this same inactivation method of
the BLA within a novel aversive learning decision-making task. Rats are
trained to retrieve sucrose pellets by running between two reward locations
with two paths available: one short (2.5m) and one long (5m). After rats
learn to selectively take the short path, rats are administered CNO, and a
shock is applied along the center of the short path. Rats immediately show
a choice preference switch towards the long path, which we predict will be
blocked in the hm4Di expressing group during later retrieval sessions.
These results will allow us to understand if the BLA is necessary for the
acquisition of this aversive learning within a decision-making task.