Activity in projection neurons from prelimbic cortex to the PVT is necessary for retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory

Previous work has shown that the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) is an important region that is involved in the conditioned context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory. However, the upstream neural circuits that activate the PVT to participate in the conditioned context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory remain unknown. In the present work, we find that the conditioned context activates projection neurons from the prelimbic cortex (PrL) to the PVT, and the inhibition of PrL-PVT projection neurons inhibits the conditioned context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory; the conditioned context induces an increase in Arc expression, intrinsic excitability, and glutamate output in PrL-PVT projection neurons in morphine-withdrawn mice. These results suggest that the activity of PrL-PVT projection neurons is necessary for the retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory, and the conditioned context causes a plastic change in the activity in these projection neurons during the withdrawal memory retrieval. [Display omitted] •Conditioned context activates PrL-PVT projection neurons in morphine-withdrawn mice•Silencing of PrL-PVT projection neurons inhibits withdrawal memory retrieval•Context induces an increase in neural plasticity in PrL-PVT projection neurons Yu et al. show that the activity of PrL-PVT projection neurons is necessary for the retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory, and a conditioned context causes a plastic change in the activity in these projection neurons during the withdrawal memory retrieval.