Bidirectional Control of Risk-Seeking Behavior by the Basolateral Amygdala

Abstract

Decision-making under risk entails the possibility of simultaneously receiving positive (reward) and negative (punishment) stimuli. To learn in this context, one must integrate conflicting information related to the magnitude of reward and the probability of punishment. Long-term inactivation of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) disrupts this process and increases risky behavior. In a recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, Orsini et al. (2017) showed that briefly inhibiting the BLA may result in increased or decreased risk-taking behavior, depending on the phase of the decision process in which BLA activity is disrupted. Here, we discuss the results and propose future experiments that could improve our understanding of how the BLA contributes to adaptive learning under risk and uncertainty.