Neurotensin in the Amygdala Promotes Reward Learning

Researchers surgically and genetically manipulated mouse neurons. They found that neurotensin levels increased in the amygdala after reward learning, dropped after punishment learning. When they prevented the amygdala from receiving information about positive or negative valence by knocking out the thalamic neurons, mice were slower to collect rewards. In threatening situations, the mice froze rather than running away.