Faculty Bibliography

Sleep plays an active role in memory consolidation. Sleep structure (REM/ Slow-wave sleep [SWS]) is modified after conditioning, and in some cortical circuits, SWS is associated with replay of the learned experience. Interestingly, the sleep modifications can be local, only affecting activity in the brain regions active during the training. Here, we wanted to ascertain possible changes in sleep structure within olfactory cortex following odor fear conditioning. We recorded local field potentials (LFP) from the anterior piriform cortex (aPCX) in behaving animals and analyzed odor-evoked changes during fear conditioning and subsequent sleep structure modifications. Long-Evans hooded rats were chronically implanted with telemetry electrodes in the aPCX. Rats were placed in a conditioning box for 30 min on three baseline days, conditioned with ten paired odor-shock stimuli on the fourth day, and tested with five odor pulses on the fifth day. On the conditioning and test days, behavioral (freezing or vocalization), autonomic (heart rate) and LFP responses to the conditioned odor were examined. After each daily session, we placed the animal in a dark, sound attenuating chamber and recorded LFPs and EMG for 4 hours. Preliminary data show that rats learned behavioral and autonomic fear responses to the odor and that aPCX odor-evoked beta (15-40 Hz) oscillatory activity may correlate with the magnitude of the fear response. Furthermore, aPCX SWS increased following odor-shock conditioning compared to baseline days. Unpaired control rats showed neither odor fear responses nor an increase in SWS. Finally, the activity of aPCX single-units during SWS was shaped by recent odor experience and there was enhanced functional connectivity between the aPCX and hippocampus during SWS compared to other period

Beta-adrenergic receptors (betaARs) have long been associated with fear disorders and with learning and memory. However, the contribution of these receptors to Pavlovian fear conditioning, a leading behavioral model for studying fear learning and memory, is still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of betaAR activation in the acquisition, consolidation and expression of fear conditioning. We focused on manipulations of betaARs in the lateral nucleus of the amygdala (LA) because of the well-established contribution of this area to fear conditioning. Specifically, we tested the effects of intra-LA microinfusions of the betaAR antagonist, propranolol, on learning and memory for auditory Pavlovian fear conditioning in rats. Pre-training propranolol infusions disrupted the initial acquisition, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM) for fear conditioning, but infusions immediately after training had no effect. Further, infusion of propranolol prior to testing fear responses did not affect fear memory expression. These findings indicate that amygdala betaARs are important for the acquisition but not the consolidation of fear conditioning.

The Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) provides a framework for achieving positive outcomes for youth and families served in residential and community programs. Founded on core principles, an emerging evidence base, and acknowledged best practices, the BBI emphasizes collaboration and coordination between providers, families, youth, advocates, and policymakers to achieve its aims. Examples are presented of successful state, community, and provider practice changes, and available tools and resources to support all constituencies in achieving positive outcomes.

The present study investigated the time course of attentional bias for angry and happy faces in 50 primary school children (9 to 12 years). That is, the study examined the degree to which an anxiety-related attentional bias was moderated by the duration of threat exposure. Using a visual-probe task, children were shown angry and happy faces paired with neutral ones over two exposure durations: 500 and 1250 ms. Results revealed that higher levels of anxiety were associated with an attentional bias towards angry faces across the 500 ms and 1250 ms exposure durations. There were no effects of children's anxiety or stimulus exposure duration on attentional bias for happy faces. Results are discussed in relation to threat-monitoring versus vigilance-avoidance patterns of attentional bias, and developmental considerations, including comparison with findings from studies of anxiety-related attentional biases in adults.

This article presents theory and rationale for game-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (GB-CBT), an integrative group modality for treating elementary school-aged children who have been sexually abused. GB-CBT incorporates evidence-based elements from cognitive-behavioral therapy, play therapy, and group therapy. The model's curriculum contains topics that have been demonstrated to be effective for treating child sexual abuse, including communication skills, emotional expression skills, psycho-education about child abuse, exposure and processing of sexual abuse, and self-protection and coping skills. Treatment is delivered in a fun and engaging manner utilizing developmentally appropriate games (DAGs) as the primary therapeutic technique. GB-CBT was designed to address behavioral problems and symptoms typically associated with child sexual abuse and aims to enhance children's knowledge of abuse and self-protection skills