Fig. 7: Photoactivation of the PACAPPSTN neurons promotes avoidance behaviors and aversive learning.
a Schematic illustration of bilateral injection into Pacap-IRES-Cre mice. b, c Representative images of fluorescent at the injection site. Arrowheads indicate the cell bodies of Chronos:GFP-expressing cells. Scale bars represent 200  μm (b) or 50 μm (c). cp, cerebral peduncle. More than three independent experiments were conducted and similar results were obtained. d Experimental schedule of the place avoidance test. e Density and scatter plots showing the position of a representative mouse during the conditioning session (top, GFP; bottom, Chronos). f–h Summary of ratios of time spent in each arm, entries into each arm, and time spent in the LED area per entry during the latter half (5–10 min) of the conditioning session (GFP, n = 10; Chronos, n = 10). i Density and scatter plots showing position of a representative mouse during the retrieval session (top, GFP; bottom, Chronos). j–l Summary of ratios of time spent in each arm, entries into each arm, and time spent in the LED area per entry during the first half (0–5 min) of the retrieval session (j, k GFP, n = 10; Chronos, n = 10, l GFP, n = 9; Chronos, n = 10). Each circle represents results from one mouse. Data are represented as mean ± SEM. n.s., p > 0.05; *p < 0.05 (unpaired two-sided t-test). See also Supplementary Fig. 7.
