Grant: Project Grant

The medial prefrontal cortex is implicated in several higher-order neural functions. One The medial prefrontal cortex is implicated in several higher-order neural functions. One prominent prefrontal function is to direct context-guided behavior through processes that require (1) monitoring the surrounding sensory stimuli, internal emotional state, and spatial environment and (2) control the initiation or cessation of behavior as a function of the present context. This proposal will specifically investigate how changes in a context's threat level are processed by the prefrontal cortex and lead to the expression, or cessation, of fear behavior. We will use cutting-edge recording and manipulation technologies to examine how the prefrontal network integrates emotional and spatial information to identify dangerous, ambiguous, and safe situations. The findings of the proposed studies will provide general principles of cortical processing of contexts and inform moments when targeting neural circuits to treat anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, would be most effective.