Methamphetamine learning induces persistent nonmuscle myosin II-dependent spine motility in the basolateral amygdala

ABSTRACT Nonmuscle myosin II inhibition (NMIIi) in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) selectively disrupts memories associated with methamphetamine (METH) days after learning, without retrieval. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this selective vulnerability remain poorly understood. A known function of NMII is to transiently activate dendritic spine actin dynamics with learning. Therefore, we hypothesized that METH-associated learning perpetuates NMII-driven actin dynamics in dendritic spines, leading to an extended window of vulnerability for memory disruption. Two-photon imaging of actin-mediated spine motility in neurons from memory-related structures, BLA and CA1, revealed a persistent increase in spine motility after METH-associated learning that was restricted to BLA neurons. METH-induced changes to BLA spine dynamics were reversed by a single systemic injection of an NMII inhibitor. Thus, a perpetual form of NMII-driven spine actin dynamics in BLA neurons may contribute to the unique susceptibility of METH-associated memories.