In this review, BNST is presented as a forebrain-to-hypothalamic/brainstem interface involved in neuroendocrine, autonomic, and behavioral responses to threat. The authors argue it helps organize conditioned defensive responses when threat timing is poorly predicted.
First-pass extracted concept
bed nucleus of the stria terminalis
Candidate: concept label4 source documents15 linked claims
Live refresh every 5sNext refresh in 5s
Aliases
BNST, BST
Extracted Explainers
What the tool is doing
What problem it solves
Evidence Snippets
The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a critical interface between the "affective forebrain" ... and the hypothalamic and brainstem areas ... We propose that the BNST mediates conditioned defensive responses ... as consequence the ability of an antecedent stimulus to predict when an aversive outcome will occur.
bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST)
This analysis leads us to conclude that BNST's influence is not limited to the generation of anxiety-like responses to diffuse threats, but that it also shapes the impact of discrete threatening stimuli.
Overshadowed by the amygdala: the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis emerges as key to psychiatric disorders
Supporting Sources
Linked Claims
The review proposes that BNST mediates conditioned defensive responses according to how well antecedent stimuli predict when an aversive outcome will occur.
Quoted textsource-backed
We propose that the BNST mediates conditioned defensive responses ... as consequence the ability of an antecedent stimulus to predict when an aversive outcome will occur (i.e., its temporal predictability).
The review argues that BNST organizes fear responses to stimuli that poorly predict when danger will occur, regardless of stimulus duration, modality, or complexity.
Quoted textsource-backed
we argue that the BNST is involved in organizing fear responses to stimuli that poorly predict when danger will occur, no matter the duration, modality, or complexity of those stimuli.
The review notes that contextual freezing can in some circumstances persist independently of BNST.
Quoted textsource-backed
recent evidence suggests that there are circumstances in which contextual freezing may persist independent of the BNST.
The review states that BNST is essential for contextual fear conditioning but dispensable for fear conditioning to discrete conditioned stimuli, at least when measured by freezing behavior.
Quoted textsource-backed
it is well known that the BNST is essential for contextual fear conditioning, but dispensable for fear conditioning to discrete conditioned stimuli (CSs), at least as indexed by freezing behavior.
The review states that BNST is involved in reinstatement or relapse of conditioned freezing to extinguished discrete conditioned stimuli.
Quoted textsource-backed
the BNST is involved in the reinstatement (or relapse) of conditioned freezing to extinguished discrete CSs.
The review argues that BNST is not uniquely mobilized by sustained threats and is not uniquely involved in sustained fear responses.
Quoted textsource-backed
We argue that the BNST is not uniquely mobilized by sustained threats or uniquely involved in organizing sustained fear responses.
Anatomical studies indicate that the Ce and BST form a tightly interconnected unit that can integrate threat-relevant information to assemble states of fear and anxiety.
Quoted textsource-backed
Anatomical studies show that the Ce and BST form a tightly interconnected unit, where different kinds of threat-relevant information can be integrated and used to assemble states of fear and anxiety.
The paper argues against a strictly dissociable Ce-versus-BST model of phasic fear and sustained anxiety and instead supports viewing them as an integrated central extended amygdala unit.
Quoted textsource-backed
It is widely thought that phasic and sustained responses to threat reflect dissociable circuits centered on the central nucleus of the amygdala (Ce) and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST)... However, new observations encourage a different perspective. Anatomical studies show that the Ce and BST form a tightly interconnected unit
The review concludes that BNST influences not only anxiety-like responses to diffuse threats but also responses to discrete threatening stimuli.
Imaging studies in humans and monkeys show that the Ce and BST have similar functional profiles.
Quoted textsource-backed
Imaging studies in humans and monkeys show that the Ce and BST exhibit similar functional profiles.
BNST-CeA interactions are likely involved in modulating responses to discrete threatening stimuli.
Mechanistic studies demonstrate that both the Ce and BST can control the expression of fear and anxiety during sustained exposure to diffuse threat.
Quoted textsource-backed
Mechanistic studies demonstrate that both regions can control the expression of fear and anxiety during sustained exposure to diffuse threat.
The review presents the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis as an emerging key structure in psychiatric disorders.
Multiple functional subregions within the small volume of BNST create significant technical obstacles for functional imaging studies in humans.
Both the Ce and BST are sensitive to aversive challenges including uncertain or temporally remote threat, show phasic responses to short-lived threat, and show heightened activity during sustained exposure to diffusely threatening contexts.
Quoted textsource-backed
Both regions are sensitive to a range of aversive challenges, including uncertain or temporally remote threat; both covary with concurrent signs and symptoms of fear and anxiety; both show phasic responses to short-lived threat; and both show heightened activity during sustained exposure to diffusely threatening contexts.