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Importance of amygdala noradrenergic activity and large-scale neural networks in regulating emotional arousal effects on perception and memory1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 January 2017

Benno Roozendaal ,
Laura Luyten ,
Lycia D. de Voogd  and
Erno J. Hermans
Benno Roozendaal
Affiliation:
Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands benno.roozendaal@radboudumc.nl Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands linda.devoogd@donders.ru.nl erno.hermans@donders.ru.nl http://www.ru.nl/donders/research/theme-3-plasticity/
Laura Luyten
Affiliation:
Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands benno.roozendaal@radboudumc.nl Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands linda.devoogd@donders.ru.nl erno.hermans@donders.ru.nl http://www.ru.nl/donders/research/theme-3-plasticity/ Center for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium laura.luyten@ppw.kuleuven.be
Lycia D. de Voogd
Affiliation:
Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands benno.roozendaal@radboudumc.nl Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands linda.devoogd@donders.ru.nl erno.hermans@donders.ru.nl http://www.ru.nl/donders/research/theme-3-plasticity/
Erno J. Hermans
Affiliation:
Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands benno.roozendaal@radboudumc.nl Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands linda.devoogd@donders.ru.nl erno.hermans@donders.ru.nl http://www.ru.nl/donders/research/theme-3-plasticity/
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Abstract

Mather and colleagues postulate that norepinephrine promotes selective processing of emotionally salient information through local “hotspots” where norepinephrine release interacts with glutamatergic activity. However, findings in rodents and humans indicate that norepinephrine is ineffective in modulating mnemonic processes in the absence of a functional amygdala. We therefore argue that emphasis should shift toward modulatory effects of amygdala-driven changes at the network level.

Information

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 39 , 2016 , e222
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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Footnotes

1.

BR and LL contributed equally to the preparation of this commentary.

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