Research reportFunctional lateralization of the baso-lateral amygdala neural circuits modulating the motivated exploratory behaviour in rats: Role of histamine

Functional laterality appears to be present in many brain functions in man and animals. The existence of paired neural circuits which act differentially to modulate a specific behavioural function seems to be an evolutionary successful strategy in animal evolution. In spite of many examples described in mammals, birds and other vertebrates and invertebrates, still its intrinsic mechanism is not completely understood. In this work the participation of the baso-lateral amygdala (BLA) on lateralized motivated exploratory behaviour and the possible influence of histamine neurons in these mechanisms were studied in rats. Different groups of animals under xylacine-ketamine anesthesia were implanted with microinjection guide cannulae into the right or left BLA. 72 h after implantation, animals were tested in hole-board cage (OVM) with a novelty object positioned in the center of the arena, as a model of exploration of a non-conflictive environment, and 24 h later they were tested in the Elevated Asymmetric Plus Maze (APM) as a model of conflictive exploration. In the day of the experiment, lidocaine was applied into the left, or right BLA in order to block the electrical activity of BLA neurons. Saline in the contralateral BLA was considered control. Results showed that exploratory activity in the OVM was significantly inhibited when lidocaine was microinjected into the left BLA, and no changes were observed when lidocaine was applied into the right BLA. When histamine was microinjected into the right BLA and lidocaine into the contralateral BLA, head-dipping, rearing, and focalized exploration behaviour were significantly inhibited. In the APM, lidocaine treatment increased equally the exploration of the “single wall” and “high and low walls” arms of the labyrinth, independently if blocking of electrical activity of the BLA neurons was performed in the left or right amygdala. Histamine treatment inhibited significantly exploration of the lesser fear-inducing arms of the labyrinth but its effect was more pronounced when histamine microinjection was in the left BLA. In conclusion, present evidence support the lateralized participation of the amygdala on exploratory behaviour and histamine neurons appear to mediate part of these differential modulations.

Research highlights▶ The baso-lateral amygdala is involved in the modulation of the exploratory behaviour in the rat. ▶ The baso-lateral amygdala appears to be lateralized to control some behaviours induced by conflictive environments. ▶ Histamine fibers to the baso-lateral amygdala are one synaptic mechanism to express lateralized behaviour in the rat.