Adaptive shifts in amygdala-hippocampal theta coupling govern aversive learning and extinction.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 42270631.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-73967-4.
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Abstract
Adaptive behaviour relies on the flexible encoding and suppression of aversive associations often underpinned by amygdala-hippocampal interactions. Yet the spectral and directional dynamics underlying these interactions in humans remain poorly understood. Using intracranial EEG recordings from the amygdala and the hippocampus acquired during a two-day aversive learning and extinction task, we identified frequency-specific shifts: amygdala theta (3-8 Hz) and gamma (30-45 Hz) power increased during conditioning and decreased during extinction, while hippocampal alpha and gamma activity gave way to theta and gamma during extinction. Directional phase connectivity, results showed frequency-specific reversals: amygdala-to-hippocampus dominance at 3-5 Hz and hippocampus-to-amygdala predominance, while 6-8 Hz showed the opposite pattern, a reconfiguration validated by computational modelling. These findings uncover distinct theta sub-bands coordinating dynamic, bidirectional communication in the human amygdala-hippocampal circuit, elucidating a neural mechanism for the flexible regulation of emotional memory.