scholarly journals Stimulation of the ventral tegmental area induces visual cortical plasticity at the neuronal level

Cell Reports ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 109998
Author(s):  
Jerome Herpers ◽  
John T. Arsenault ◽  
Wim Vanduffel ◽  
Rufin Vogels
Keyword(s):  
Ventral Tegmental Area ◽  
Cortical Plasticity ◽  
Ventral Tegmental ◽  
Visual Cortical ◽  
Stimulation Of

Cardiovascular depressor responses to stimulation of substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area

1997 ◽  
Vol 273 (6) ◽  
pp. H2549-H2557 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilbert J. Kirouac ◽  
John Ciriello
Keyword(s):  
Substantia Nigra ◽  
Ventral Tegmental Area ◽  
Intravenous Administration ◽  
Dopaminergic Neurons ◽  
Cardiovascular Responses ◽  
Receptor Blocker ◽  
Transitional Region ◽  
Pars Lateralis ◽  
Ventral Tegmental ◽  
Stimulation Of

Experiments were done in α-chloralose-anesthetized, paralyzed, and artificially ventilated rats to investigate the effect ofl-glutamate (Glu) stimulation of the substantia nigra (SN) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) on arterial pressure (AP) and heart rate (HR). Glu stimulation of the SN pars compacta (SNC) elicited decreases in both mean AP (MAP; −18.9 ± 1.3 mmHg; n = 52) and HR (−26.1 ± 1.6 beats/min; n = 46) at 81% of the sites stimulated. On the other hand, stimulation of the SN pars lateralis or pars reticulata did not elicit cardiovascular responses. Stimulation of the adjacent VTA region elicited similar decreases in MAP (−18.0 ± 2.6 mmHg; n = 20) and HR (−25.4 ± 3.8 beats/min; n = 17) at ∼74% of the sites stimulated. Intravenous administration of the dopamine D2-receptor antagonist raclopride significantly attenuated both the MAP (70%) and the HR (54%) responses elicited by stimulation of the transitional region where the SNC merges with the lateral VTA (SNC-VTA region). Intravenous administration of the muscarinic receptor blocker atropine methyl bromide had no effect on the magnitude of the MAP and HR responses to stimulation of the SNC-VTA region, whereas administration of the nicotinic receptor blocker hexamethonium bromide significantly attenuated both the depressor and the bradycardic responses. These data suggest that dopaminergic neurons in the SNC-VTA region activate a central pathway that exerts cardiovascular depressor effects that are mediated by the inhibition of sympathetic vasoconstrictor fibers to the vasculature and cardioacceleratory fibers to the heart.

scholarly journals Disruptions in effort-based decision-making following acute optogenetic stimulation of ventral tegmental area dopamine cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 104-108
Author(s):  
Benjamin R. Fry ◽  
Nathan T. Pence ◽  
Andrew McLocklin ◽  
Alexander W. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Ventral Tegmental Area ◽  
Optogenetic Stimulation ◽  
Ventral Tegmental ◽  
Stimulation Of

Cardiovascular afferent inputs to ventral tegmental area

1997 ◽  
Vol 272 (6) ◽  
pp. R1998-R2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. Kirouac ◽  
J. Ciriello
Keyword(s):  
Ventral Tegmental Area ◽  
Discharge Rate ◽  
Onset Latency ◽  
Selective Activation ◽  
Unit Recording ◽  
Arterial Baroreceptors ◽  
Reflex Activation ◽  
Afferent Inputs ◽  
Ventral Tegmental ◽  
Stimulation Of

Extracellular single-unit recording experiments were done in alpha-chloralose-anesthetized, paralyzed, and artificially ventilated rats to investigate the effect of selective activation of arterial baroreceptors and stimulation of cardiovascular depressor sites in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) on the discharge rate of neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Electrical stimulation of the aortic depressor nerve (ADN), which is known to carry aortic baroreceptor afferent fibers only, excited 12 of 21 (mean onset latency 42.4 +/- 8.8 ms) and inhibited 2 of 21 (mean onset latency 42.5 +/- 6.5 ms) single units in the VTA. The discharge rate of VTA units was also altered during the reflex activation of arterial baroreceptors by the acute rise in arterial pressure (AP) to systemic injections of phenylephrine (10 micrograms/kg i.v.): 12 of 44 units were excited and 15 of 44 were inhibited. Units that responded to either ADN stimulation or the reflex activation of the baroreflex also responded to stimulation of depressor sites in the NTS. An additional 12 units that were found in barodenervated controls to be responsive to NTS stimulation were nonresponsive to selective activation of arterial baroreceptors. These data indicate that cardiovascular afferent inputs modulate the activity of neurons in the VTA and suggest that changes in systemic AP may exert an effect on the activity of neurons involved in mesolimbic and mesocortical function.

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