TY - JOUR TI - Different types of theta rhythmicity are induced by social and fearful stimuli in a network associated with social memory AU - Tendler, Alex AU - Wagner, Shlomo A2 - Mason, Peggy VL - 4 PY - 2015 DA - 2015/02/16 SP - e03614 C1 - eLife 2015;4:e03614 DO - 10.7554/eLife.03614 UR - https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03614 AB - Rhythmic activity in the theta range is thought to promote neuronal communication between brain regions. In this study, we performed chronic telemetric recordings in socially behaving rats to monitor electrophysiological activity in limbic brain regions linked to social behavior. Social encounters were associated with increased rhythmicity in the high theta range (7–10 Hz) that was proportional to the stimulus degree of novelty. This modulation of theta rhythmicity, which was specific for social stimuli, appeared to reflect a brain-state of social arousal. In contrast, the same network responded to a fearful stimulus by enhancement of rhythmicity in the low theta range (3–7 Hz). Moreover, theta rhythmicity showed different pattern of coherence between the distinct brain regions in response to social and fearful stimuli. We suggest that the two types of stimuli induce distinct arousal states that elicit different patterns of theta rhythmicity, which cause the same brain areas to communicate in different modes. KW - social recognition memory KW - theta rhythmicity KW - olfactory system KW - medial amygdala KW - arousal KW - fear conditioning JF - eLife SN - 2050-084X PB - eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd ER -