Andrew Holmes (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, USA)
Time and Punishment: neural circuits shaping the encoding of adversity
Adverse events act as powerful influences on our current and – via their encoding in memory – future behavior. Recent research has shone new light on the brain circuity that underpins how we learn, remember and adapt to adversity. Of note in this context are findings identifying complex and highly dynamic mechanisms, at the level of neural systems and neuronal populations, within the amygdala and its functionally interconnected cortical partners. This rapidly advancing field of basic research holds promise for elucidating a neurobiological basis for stress-related neuropsychiatry illness and its treatment.