Involvement of Midbrain Dopamine Neuron Activity in Negative Reinforcement Learning in Mice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhijun Diao ◽  
Li Yao ◽  
Qiangqiang Cheng ◽  
Meilin Wu ◽  
Yuanyuan Di ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reinforcement Learning ◽  
Negative Reinforcement ◽  
Dopamine Neuron ◽  
Neuron Activity ◽  
Midbrain Dopamine

scholarly journals Instantiation of incentive value and movement invigoration by distinct midbrain dopamine circuits

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin T. Saunders ◽  
Jocelyn M. Richard ◽  
Elyssa B. Margolis ◽  
Patricia H. Janak
Keyword(s):  
Dopamine Neuron ◽  
Dopamine Neurons ◽  
Neuron Activity ◽  
Temporal Association ◽  
Conditioned Stimuli ◽  
Incentive Value ◽  
Pavlovian Learning ◽  
Midbrain Dopamine ◽  
Dopamine Circuits

Environmental cues, through Pavlovian learning, become conditioned stimuli that guide animals towards the acquisition of “rewards” (i.e., food) that are necessary for survival. Here, we test the fundamental role of midbrain dopamine neurons in conferring predictive or motivational properties to cues, independent of external rewards. We demonstrate that phasic optogenetic excitation of dopamine neurons throughout the midbrain, when presented in temporal association with discrete sensory cues, is sufficient to instantiate those cues as conditioned stimuli that subsequently both evoke dopamine neuron activity on their own, and elicit cue-locked conditioned behaviors. Critically, we identify highly parcellated behavioral functions for dopamine neuron subpopulations projecting to discrete regions of striatum, revealing dissociable mesostriatal systems for the generation of incentive value and movement invigoration. These results show that dopamine neurons orchestrate Pavlovian conditioning via functionally heterogeneous, circuit-specific motivational signals to shape cue-controlled behavior.

scholarly journals Dopamine Neuron Responses Depend Exponentially on Pacemaker Interval

2009 ◽  
Vol 101 (2) ◽  
pp. 926-933 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilva Putzier ◽  
Paul H. M. Kullmann ◽  
John P. Horn ◽  
Edwin S. Levitan
Keyword(s):  
Dopamine Neuron ◽  
Dopamine Neurons ◽  
Inhibitory Synapses ◽  
Neuron Activity ◽  
Exponential Dependence ◽  
Mathematical Form ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Midbrain Dopamine ◽  
Cell Variation ◽  
The Impact

Midbrain dopamine neuron activity results from the integration of the responses to metabo- and ionotropic receptors with the postsynaptic excitability of these intrinsic pacemakers. Interestingly, intrinsic pacemaker rate varies greatly between individual dopamine neurons and is subject to short- and long-term regulation. Here responses of substantia nigra dopamine neurons to defined dynamic-clamp stimuli were measured to quantify the impact of cell-to-cell variation in intrinsic pacemaker rate. Then this approach was repeated in single dopamine neurons in which pacemaker rate was altered by activation of muscarinic receptors or current injection. These experiments revealed a dramatic exponential dependence on pacemaker interval for the responses to voltage-gated A-type K+ channels, voltage-independent cation channels and ionotropic synapses. Likewise, responses to native metabotropic (GABAb and mGluR1) inhibitory synapses depended steeply on pacemaker interval. These results show that observed variations in dopamine neuron pacemaker rate are functionally significant because they produce a >10-fold difference in responses to diverse stimuli. Both the magnitude and the mathematical form of the relationship between pacemaker interval and responses were not previously anticipated.

scholarly journals Learning from Action: Reconsidering Movement Signaling in Midbrain Dopamine Neuron Activity

Neuron ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 104 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke T. Coddington ◽  
Joshua T. Dudman
Keyword(s):  
Dopamine Neuron ◽  
Neuron Activity ◽  
Midbrain Dopamine

scholarly journals Chronic nicotine increases midbrain dopamine neuron activity and biases individual strategies towards reduced exploration in mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Malou Dongelmans ◽  
Romain Durand-de Cuttoli ◽  
Claire Nguyen ◽  
Maxime Come ◽  
Etienne K. Duranté ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Dopamine Neuron ◽  
Dopamine Neurons ◽  
Neuron Activity ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Chronic Nicotine ◽  
Midbrain Dopamine ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Exploration Exploitation

AbstractLong-term exposure to nicotine alters brain circuits and induces profound changes in decision-making strategies, affecting behaviors both related and unrelated to drug seeking and consumption. Using an intracranial self-stimulation reward-based foraging task, we investigated in mice the impact of chronic nicotine on midbrain dopamine neuron activity and its consequence on the trade-off between exploitation and exploration. Model-based and archetypal analysis revealed substantial inter-individual variability in decision-making strategies, with mice passively exposed to nicotine shifting toward a more exploitative profile compared to non-exposed animals. We then mimicked the effect of chronic nicotine on the tonic activity of dopamine neurons using optogenetics, and found that photo-stimulated mice adopted a behavioral phenotype similar to that of mice exposed to chronic nicotine. Our results reveal a key role of tonic midbrain dopamine in the exploration/exploitation trade-off and highlight a potential mechanism by which nicotine affects the exploration/exploitation balance and decision-making.

scholarly journals Phasic Stimulation of Midbrain Dopamine Neuron Activity Reduces Salt Consumption

eNeuro ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. ENEURO.0064-18.2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor C. Sandhu ◽  
Anushka B. P. Fernando ◽  
Elaine E. Irvine ◽  
Kyoko Tossell ◽  
Michelle Kokkinou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dopamine Neuron ◽  
Neuron Activity ◽  
Salt Consumption ◽  
Midbrain Dopamine ◽  
Stimulation Of

scholarly journals Orexin receptor antagonists reverse aberrant dopamine neuron activity and related behaviors in a rodent model of stress-induced psychosis

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah B. Elam ◽  
Stephanie M. Perez ◽  
Jennifer J. Donegan ◽  
Daniel J. Lodge
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Sensorimotor Gating ◽  
The United States ◽  
Dopamine Neuron ◽  
Neuron Activity ◽  
Sprague Dawley ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Neuron Population ◽  
Population Activity ◽  
Novel Approach

AbstractPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent condition affecting approximately 8% of the United States population and 20% of United States combat veterans. In addition to core symptoms of the disorder, up to 64% of individuals diagnosed with PTSD experience comorbid psychosis. Previous research has demonstrated a positive correlation between symptoms of psychosis and increases in dopamine transmission. We have recently demonstrated projections from the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) can regulate dopamine neuron activity in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Specifically, inactivation of the PVT leads to a reversal of aberrant dopamine system function and psychosis-like behavior. The PVT receives dense innervation from orexin containing neurons, therefore, targeting orexin receptors may be a novel approach to restore dopamine neuron activity and alleviate PTSD-associated psychosis. In this study, we induced stress-related pathophysiology in male Sprague Dawley rats using an inescapable foot-shock procedure. We observed a significant increase in VTA dopamine neuron population activity, deficits in sensorimotor gating, and hyperresponsivity to psychomotor stimulants. Administration of selective orexin 1 receptor (OX1R) and orexin 2 receptor (OX2R) antagonists (SB334867 and EMPA, respectively) or the FDA-approved, dual-orexin receptor antagonist, Suvorexant, were found to reverse stress-induced increases in dopamine neuron population activity. However, only Suvorexant and SB334867 were able to reverse deficits in behavioral corelates of psychosis. These results suggest that the orexin system may be a novel pharmacological target for the treatment of comorbid psychosis related to PTSD.

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