Projection Neurons from Infralimbic (IL) to the Basolateral Amygdala (BLA) are Critical for the Expression of Social Familiarity induced Anxiolysis (SoFiA) in rats

In male Wistar rats, inhibiting infralimbic projection neurons to the basolateral amygdala during SoFiA expression prevents recovery of social interaction after bright-light attenuation.

• Why it matters: Social familiarity-induced anxiolysis is established in the SI-hab model, but the specific IL circuitry that supports social safety learning remains unclear.
• What they did: Rats received bilateral viral injections into IL or BLA and were left 5–7 weeks for expression; during SoFiA expression, IL, BLA, or IL→BLA projection neurons were inhibited with low-dose ip. clozapine-N-oxide (CNO).
• The result: CNO inhibition showed IL→BLA projection neurons are critical for SoFiA expression, with no off-target effects on behavioral measures, supporting an essential role for the IL-BLA pathway in social safety learning.

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