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Engel L, Wolff AR, Blake M, Collins VL, Sinha S, Saunders BT. Dopamine neurons drive spatiotemporally heterogeneous striatal dopamine signals during learning. Curr Biol 2024; 34:3086-3101.e4. [PMID: 38925117 PMCID: PMC11279555 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.05.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Environmental cues, through Pavlovian learning, become conditioned stimuli that invigorate and guide animals toward rewards. Dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra (SNc) are crucial for this process, via engagement of a reciprocally connected network with their striatal targets. Critically, it remains unknown how dopamine neuron activity itself engages dopamine signals throughout the striatum, across learning. Here, we investigated how optogenetic Pavlovian cue conditioning of VTA or SNc dopamine neurons directs cue-evoked behavior and shapes subregion-specific striatal dopamine dynamics. We used a fluorescent biosensor to monitor dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core and shell, dorsomedial striatum (DMS), and dorsolateral striatum (DLS). We demonstrate spatially heterogeneous, learning-dependent dopamine changes across striatal regions. Although VTA stimulation-evoked robust dopamine release in NAc core, shell, and DMS, predictive cues preferentially recruited dopamine release in NAc core, starting early in training, and DMS, late in training. Negative prediction error signals, reflecting a violation in the expectation of dopamine neuron activation, only emerged in the NAc core and DMS. Despite the development of vigorous movement late in training, conditioned dopamine signals did not emerge in the DLS, even during Pavlovian conditioning with SNc dopamine neuron activation, which elicited robust DLS dopamine release. Together, our studies show a broad dissociation in the fundamental prediction and reward-related information generated by VTA and SNc dopamine neuron populations and signaled by dopamine across the striatum. Further, they offer new insight into how larger-scale adaptations across the striatal network emerge during learning to coordinate behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liv Engel
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, 2001 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, 2001 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Amy R Wolff
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, 2001 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, 2001 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Madelyn Blake
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, 2001 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Val L Collins
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, 2001 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, 2001 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Sonal Sinha
- Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Benjamin T Saunders
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, 2001 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, 2001 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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Engel L, Wolff AR, Blake M, Collins VL, Sinha S, Saunders BT. Dopamine neurons drive spatiotemporally heterogeneous striatal dopamine signals during learning. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.07.01.547331. [PMID: 38585717 PMCID: PMC10996462 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.01.547331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Environmental cues, through Pavlovian learning, become conditioned stimuli that invigorate and guide animals toward acquisition of rewards. Dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra (SNC) are crucial for this process. Dopamine neurons are embedded in a reciprocally connected network with their striatal targets, the functional organization of which remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated how learning during optogenetic Pavlovian cue conditioning of VTA or SNC dopamine neurons directs cue-evoked behavior and shapes subregion-specific striatal dopamine dynamics. We used a fluorescent dopamine biosensor to monitor dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core and shell, dorsomedial striatum (DMS), and dorsolateral striatum (DLS). We demonstrate spatially heterogeneous, learning-dependent dopamine changes across striatal regions. While VTA stimulation evoked robust dopamine release in NAc core, shell, and DMS, cues predictive of this activation preferentially recruited dopamine release in NAc core, starting early in training, and DMS, late in training. Corresponding negative prediction error signals, reflecting a violation in the expectation of dopamine neuron activation, only emerged in the NAc core and DMS, and not the shell. Despite development of vigorous movement late in training, conditioned dopamine signals did not similarly emerge in the DLS, even during Pavlovian conditioning with SNC dopamine neuron activation, which elicited robust DLS dopamine release. Together, our studies show broad dissociation in the fundamental prediction and reward-related information generated by different dopamine neuron populations and signaled by dopamine across the striatum. Further, they offer new insight into how larger-scale plasticity across the striatal network emerges during Pavlovian learning to coordinate behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liv Engel
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota
- Current Address: Department of Psychology, University of Toronto
| | - Amy R Wolff
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota
| | - Madelyn Blake
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota
| | - Val L Collins
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota
| | | | - Benjamin T Saunders
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota
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Gladding JM, Lingawi NW, Leung BK, Kendig MD, Chieng BC, Laurent V. High fat diet allows food-predictive stimuli to energize action performance in the absence of hunger, without distorting insulin signaling on accumbal cholinergic interneurons. Appetite 2023:106769. [PMID: 37399905 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.106769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Obesity can disrupt how food-predictive stimuli control action performance and selection. These two forms of control recruit cholinergic interneurons (CIN) located in the nucleus accumbens core (NAcC) and shell (NAcS), respectively. Given that obesity is associated with insulin resistance in this region, we examined whether interfering with CIN insulin signaling disrupts how food-predictive stimuli control actions. To interfere with insulin signaling we used a high-fat diet (HFD) or genetic excision of insulin receptor (InsR) from cholinergic cells. HFD left intact the capacity of food-predictive stimuli to energize performance of an action earning food when mice were tested hungry. However, it allowed this energizing effect to persist when the mice were tested sated. This persistence was linked to NAcC CIN activity but was not associated with distorted CIN insulin signaling. Accordingly, InsR excision had no effect on how food-predicting stimuli control action performance. Next, we found that neither HFD nor InsR excision altered the capacity of food-predictive stimuli to guide action selection. Yet, this capacity was associated with changes in NAcS CIN activity. These results indicate that insulin signaling on accumbal CIN does not modulate how food-predictive stimuli control action performance and selection. However, they show that HFD allows food-predictive stimuli to energize performance of an action earning food in the absence of hunger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne M Gladding
- Decision Neuroscience Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Nura W Lingawi
- Decision Neuroscience Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Beatrice K Leung
- Decision Neuroscience Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Michael D Kendig
- Brain & Behaviour Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Billy C Chieng
- Decision Neuroscience Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Vincent Laurent
- Decision Neuroscience Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
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Collins V, Bornhoft KN, Wolff A, Sinha S, Saunders BT. Hierarchical cue control of cocaine seeking in the face of cost. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:461-476. [PMID: 36069951 PMCID: PMC10131580 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06218-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Addiction is characterized by intermittent drug seeking despite rising costs. This behavior is heavily influenced by environmental stimuli that signal drug availability and reinforce drug seeking. OBJECTIVE To establish the relationship between three key aspects of human drug use in rats: the intermittent, binge nature of drug intake, the motivational conflict of drug seeking in the face of escalating negative costs, and the ability of different drug cues to interact to modulate relapse. METHODS Male and female rats were trained to self-administer cocaine on an intermittent access schedule, where brief drug-availability states were signaled by a shift in the ambient lighting of the environment, and cocaine infusions were signaled by a separate proximal discrete cue. Rats then went through a conflict procedure, where foot shock intensity associated with cocaine seeking was escalated until intake was suppressed. We then completed relapse tests where the drug-delivery cue was noncontingently presented alone, or in the context of dynamic drug-availability state transitions. RESULTS Intermittent access spurred psychomotor sensitization and binge-like cocaine intake. The intensity of binge-like drug taking during training was predictive of later drug seeking despite escalating costs during conflict. In relapse tests, the ability of a proximal discrete drug cue to trigger relapse was gated by the presence of a global cue signaling drug-availability state transitions. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the pattern of drug intake plays a role in many features of addiction, including modifying an individual's willingness to endure high costs associated with drug seeking. Furthermore, our studies indicate that drug-related sensory information can be hierarchically organized to exert a dynamic modulating influence on drug-seeking motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Val Collins
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Medical Discovery Team On Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kaisa N Bornhoft
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Medical Discovery Team On Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Amy Wolff
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Medical Discovery Team On Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Sonal Sinha
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Benjamin T Saunders
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
- Medical Discovery Team On Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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Stussi Y, Pool ER. Multicomponential affective processes modulating food-seeking behaviors. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Ge M, Balleine BW. The role of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in the motivational control of instrumental action. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:968593. [DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.968593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
We review recent studies assessing the role of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) in the motivational control of instrumental conditioning. This evidence suggests that the BNST and central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) form a circuit that modulates the ventral tegmental area (VTA) input to the nucleus accumbens core (NAc core) to control the influence of Pavlovian cues on instrumental performance. In support of these claims, we found that activity in the oval region of BNST was increased by instrumental conditioning, as indexed by phosphorylated ERK activity (Experiment 1), but that this increase was not due to exposure to the instrumental contingency or to the instrumental outcome per se (Experiment 2). Instead, BNST activity was most significantly incremented in a test conducted when the instrumental outcome was anticipated but not delivered, suggesting a role for BNST in the motivational effects of anticipated outcomes on instrumental performance. To test this claim, we examined the effect of NMDA-induced cell body lesions of the BNST on general Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (Experiment 3). These lesions had no effect on instrumental performance or on conditioned responding during Pavlovian conditioning to either an excitory conditioned stimulus (CS) or a neutral CS (CS0) but significantly attenuated the excitatory effect of the Pavlovian CS on instrumental performance. These data are consistent with the claim that the BNST mediates the general excitatory influence of Pavlovian cues on instrumental performance and suggest BNST activity may be central to CeA-BNST modulation of a VTA-NAc core circuit in incentive motivation.
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Right Unilateral Spatial Neglect Improves with Intrinsic Motivation. Case Rep Neurol Med 2022; 2022:4828549. [PMID: 36340934 PMCID: PMC9633176 DOI: 10.1155/2022/4828549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Background. In the acute phase of stroke, it is well known that the incidence and severity of unilateral spatial neglect (USN) are more significant in the right hemisphere injuries. Still, the detection of USN in left hemisphere injuries has been increasing in recent years. This trend is because behavioral assessments have prevented the exclusion of patients who are difficult to assess for USN or apathy using conventional paper-and-pencil tests (e.g., aphasia). Right USN and post-stroke apathy share many common lesions. Therefore, clinical symptoms may overlap, but little validation considers this. Case Study. A man (62 years old) determined to have the right USN and apathy was treated for six weeks in 3 terms. In the first term (weeks 1 to 2), the patient was treated for the right USN by conventional therapy. In the second term (3–4 weeks), treatment for right USN and apathy by goal-directed therapy based on affinity behavior was implemented. In the third term (5–6 weeks), goal-directed therapy based on affinity behavior was discontinued, and treatment was returned to conventional therapy only. In the second term (goal-directed therapy based on affinity behavior), the improvement in patients' apathy (clinical assessment for spontaneity) was more significant than the effect size in the third term (conventional therapy). There were no significant differences in USN (catherine bergego scale) and intrinsic motivation (pittsburgh rehabilitation participation scale). However, the effect size in the second term tended to be larger than in the third term (conventional therapy). Clinical Rehabilitation Impact. This report aims to demonstrate the limitations of current treatment for cases determined to have both right USN and apathy. Second, to assess the extent to which this new intervention can complement the limitations of current treatment.
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Halbout B, Hutson C, Wassum KM, Ostlund SB. Dorsomedial prefrontal cortex activation disrupts Pavlovian incentive motivation. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:999320. [PMID: 36311857 PMCID: PMC9608868 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.999320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) is known to make important contributions to flexible, reward-motivated behavior. However, it remains unclear if the dmPFC is involved in regulating the expression of Pavlovian incentive motivation, the process through which reward-paired cues promote instrumental reward-seeking behavior, which is modeled in rats using the Pavlovian-instrumental transfer (PIT) task. The current study examined this question using a bidirectional chemogenetic strategy in which inhibitory (hM4Di) or excitatory (hM3Dq) designer G-protein coupled receptors were virally expressed in dmPFC neurons, allowing us to later stimulate or inhibit this region by administering CNO prior to PIT testing. We found that dmPFC inhibition did not alter the tendency for a reward-paired cue to instigate instrumental reward-seeking behavior, whereas dmPFC stimulation disrupted the expression of this motivational influence. Neither treatment altered cue-elicited anticipatory activity at the reward-delivery port, indicating that dmPFC stimulation did not lead to more widespread motor suppression. A reporter-only control experiment indicated that our CNO treatment did not have non-specific behavioral effects. Thus, the dmPFC does not mediate the expression of Pavlovian incentive motivation but instead has the capacity to exert pronounced inhibitory control over this process, suggesting that it is involved in adaptively regulating cue-motivated behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Briac Halbout
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Collin Hutson
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Kate M. Wassum
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Sean B. Ostlund
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- UC Irvine Center for Addiction Neuroscience, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
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Vázquez D, Schneider KN, Roesch MR. Neural signals implicated in the processing of appetitive and aversive events in social and non-social contexts. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:926388. [PMID: 35993086 PMCID: PMC9381696 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.926388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2014, we participated in a special issue of Frontiers examining the neural processing of appetitive and aversive events. Specifically, we reviewed brain areas that contribute to the encoding of prediction errors and value versus salience, attention and motivation. Further, we described how we disambiguated these cognitive processes and their neural substrates by using paradigms that incorporate both appetitive and aversive stimuli. We described a circuit in which the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) signals expected value and the basolateral amygdala (BLA) encodes the salience and valence of both appetitive and aversive events. This information is integrated by the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and dopaminergic (DA) signaling in order to generate prediction and prediction error signals, which guide decision-making and learning via the dorsal striatum (DS). Lastly, the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is monitoring actions and outcomes, and signals the need to engage attentional control in order to optimize behavioral output. Here, we expand upon this framework, and review our recent work in which within-task manipulations of both appetitive and aversive stimuli allow us to uncover the neural processes that contribute to the detection of outcomes delivered to a conspecific and behaviors in social contexts. Specifically, we discuss the involvement of single-unit firing in the ACC and DA signals in the NAc during the processing of appetitive and aversive events in both social and non-social contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Vázquez
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Kevin N. Schneider
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Matthew R. Roesch
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Matthew R. Roesch,
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Grima LL, Panayi MC, Härmson O, Syed ECJ, Manohar SG, Husain M, Walton ME. Nucleus accumbens D1-receptors regulate and focus transitions to reward-seeking action. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:1721-1731. [PMID: 35478011 PMCID: PMC9283443 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01312-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
It is well established that dopamine transmission is integral in mediating the influence of reward expectations on reward-seeking actions. However, the precise causal role of dopamine transmission in moment-to-moment reward-motivated behavioral control remains contentious, particularly in contexts where it is necessary to refrain from responding to achieve a beneficial outcome. To examine this, we manipulated dopamine transmission pharmacologically as rats performed a Go/No-Go task that required them to either make or withhold action to gain either a small or large reward. D1R Stimulation potentiated cue-driven action initiation, including fast impulsive actions on No-Go trials. By contrast, D1R blockade primarily disrupted the successful completion of Go trial sequences. Surprisingly, while after global D1R blockade this was characterized by a general retardation of reward-seeking actions, nucleus accumbens core (NAcC) D1R blockade had no effect on the speed of action initiation or impulsive actions. Instead, fine-grained analyses showed that this manipulation decreased the precision of animals' goal-directed actions, even though they usually still followed the appropriate response sequence. Strikingly, such "unfocused" responding could also be observed off-drug, particularly when only a small reward was on offer. These findings suggest that the balance of activity at NAcC D1Rs plays a key role in enabling the rapid activation of a focused, reward-seeking state to enable animals to efficiently and accurately achieve their goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura L Grima
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA.
| | - Marios C Panayi
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, Biomedical Research Center, 251 Bayview Boulevard, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Oliver Härmson
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Medical Research Council Brain Network Dynamics Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Emilie C J Syed
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sanjay G Manohar
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Masud Husain
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Mark E Walton
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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Grinevich VP, Zakirov AN, Berseneva UV, Gerasimova EV, Gainetdinov RR, Budygin EA. Applying a Fast-Scan Cyclic Voltammetry to Explore Dopamine Dynamics in Animal Models of Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Cells 2022; 11:cells11091533. [PMID: 35563838 PMCID: PMC9100021 DOI: 10.3390/cells11091533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Progress in the development of technologies for the real-time monitoring of neurotransmitter dynamics has provided researchers with effective tools for the exploration of etiology and molecular mechanisms of neuropsychiatric disorders. One of these powerful tools is fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV), a technique which has progressively been used in animal models of diverse pathological conditions associated with alterations in dopamine transmission. Indeed, for several decades FSCV studies have provided substantial insights into our understanding of the role of abnormal dopaminergic transmission in pathogenetic mechanisms of drug and alcohol addiction, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, etc. Here we review the applications of FSCV to research neuropsychiatric disorders with particular attention to recent technological advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir P. Grinevich
- Department of Neurobiology, Sirius University, 1 Olympic Ave., Sirius, Sochi 353340, Russia; (V.P.G.); (A.N.Z.); (U.V.B.); (E.V.G.); (R.R.G.)
| | - Amir N. Zakirov
- Department of Neurobiology, Sirius University, 1 Olympic Ave., Sirius, Sochi 353340, Russia; (V.P.G.); (A.N.Z.); (U.V.B.); (E.V.G.); (R.R.G.)
| | - Uliana V. Berseneva
- Department of Neurobiology, Sirius University, 1 Olympic Ave., Sirius, Sochi 353340, Russia; (V.P.G.); (A.N.Z.); (U.V.B.); (E.V.G.); (R.R.G.)
| | - Elena V. Gerasimova
- Department of Neurobiology, Sirius University, 1 Olympic Ave., Sirius, Sochi 353340, Russia; (V.P.G.); (A.N.Z.); (U.V.B.); (E.V.G.); (R.R.G.)
| | - Raul R. Gainetdinov
- Department of Neurobiology, Sirius University, 1 Olympic Ave., Sirius, Sochi 353340, Russia; (V.P.G.); (A.N.Z.); (U.V.B.); (E.V.G.); (R.R.G.)
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine and St. Petersburg State University Hospital, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya Emb. 7-9, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Evgeny A. Budygin
- Department of Neurobiology, Sirius University, 1 Olympic Ave., Sirius, Sochi 353340, Russia; (V.P.G.); (A.N.Z.); (U.V.B.); (E.V.G.); (R.R.G.)
- Correspondence:
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12
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Aronson JP, Katnani HA, Huguenard A, Mulvaney G, Bader ER, Yang JC, Eskandar EN. Phasic stimulation in the nucleus accumbens enhances learning after traumatic brain injury. Cereb Cortex Commun 2022; 3:tgac016. [PMID: 35529519 PMCID: PMC9070350 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgac016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite improvements in survival, treatments that improve functional outcome remain lacking. There is, therefore, a pressing need to develop novel treatments to improve functional recovery. Here, we investigated task-matched deep-brain stimulation of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) to augment reinforcement learning in a rodent model of TBI. We demonstrate that task-matched deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the NAc can enhance learning following TBI. We further demonstrate that animals receiving DBS exhibited greater behavioral improvement and enhanced neural proliferation. Treated animals recovered to an uninjured behavioral baseline and showed retention of improved performance even after stimulation was stopped. These results provide encouraging early evidence for the potential of NAc DBS to improve functional outcomes following TBI and that its effects may be broad, with alterations in neurogenesis and synaptogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P Aronson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Husam A Katnani
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anna Huguenard
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Graham Mulvaney
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Edward R Bader
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Jimmy C Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emad N Eskandar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
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Effort-motivated behavior resolves paradoxes in appetitive conditioning. Behav Processes 2021; 193:104525. [PMID: 34601051 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Motivated behavior has long been studied by psychologists, ethologists, and neuroscientists. To date, many scientists agree with the view that cue and reward attraction is the product of a dopamine-dependent unconscious process called incentive salience or "wanting". This process allows the influence of multiple factors such as hunger and odors on motivational attraction. In some cases, however, the resulting motivated behavior differs from what the incentive salience hypothesis would predict. I argue that seeking behavior under reward uncertainty illustrates this situation: Organisms do not just "want" (appetite-based attraction) cues that are inconsistent or associated with reward occasionally, they "hope" that those cues will consistently predict reward procurement in the ongoing trial. Said otherwise, they become motivated to invest time and energy to find consistent cue-reward associations despite no guarantee of success (effort-based attraction). A multi-test comparison of performance between individuals trained under uncertainty and certainty reveals behavioral paradoxes suggesting that the concept of incentive salience cannot fully account for responding to inconsistent cues. A mathematical model explains how appetite-based and effort-based attractions might combine their effects.
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Ostlund SB, Marshall AT. Probing the role of reward expectancy in Pavlovian-instrumental transfer. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2021.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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15
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Reactivating a positive feedback loop VTA-BLA-NAc circuit associated with positive experience ameliorates the attenuated reward sensitivity induced by chronic stress. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 15:100370. [PMID: 34381852 PMCID: PMC8334743 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Both genetic predisposition and life events, particularly life stress, are thought to increase the risk for depression. Reward sensitivity appears to be attenuated in major depressive disorder (MDD), suggesting deficits in reward processing in these patients. We identified the VTA-BLA-NAc circuit as being activated by sex reward, and the VTA neurons that respond to sex reward are mostly dopaminergic. Acute or chronic reactivation of this circuit ameliorates the reward insensitivity induced by chronic restraint stress. Our histological and electrophysiological results show that the VTA neuron subpopulation responding to restraint stress, predominantly GABAergic neurons, inhibits the responsiveness of VTA dopaminergic neurons to reward stimuli, which is probably the mechanism by which stress modulates the reward processing neural circuits and subsequently disrupts reward-related behaviours. Furthermore, we found that the VTA-BLA-NAc circuit is a positive feedback loop. Blocking the projections from the BLA to the NAc associated with sex reward increases the excitability of VTA GABAergic neurons and decreases the excitability of VTA dopaminergic neurons, while activating this pathway decreases the excitability of VTA GABAergic neurons and increases the excitability of VTA dopaminergic neurons, which may be the cellular mechanism by which the VTA-BLA-NAc circuit associated with sex reward ameliorates the attenuated reward sensitivity induced by chronic stress.
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Abstract
Abstract
Purpose of Review
Current theories of alcohol use disorders (AUD) highlight the importance of Pavlovian and instrumental learning processes mainly based on preclinical animal studies. Here, we summarize available evidence for alterations of those processes in human participants with AUD with a focus on habitual versus goal-directed instrumental learning, Pavlovian conditioning, and Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) paradigms.
Recent Findings
The balance between habitual and goal-directed control in AUD participants has been studied using outcome devaluation or sequential decision-making procedures, which have found some evidence of reduced goal-directed/model-based control, but little evidence for stronger habitual responding. The employed Pavlovian learning and PIT paradigms have shown considerable differences regarding experimental procedures, e.g., alcohol-related or conventional reinforcers or stimuli.
Summary
While studies of basic learning processes in human participants with AUD support a role of Pavlovian and instrumental learning mechanisms in the development and maintenance of drug addiction, current studies are characterized by large variability regarding methodology, sample characteristics, and results, and translation from animal paradigms to human research remains challenging. Longitudinal approaches with reliable and ecologically valid paradigms of Pavlovian and instrumental processes, including alcohol-related cues and outcomes, are warranted and should be combined with state-of-the-art imaging techniques, computational approaches, and ecological momentary assessment methods.
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17
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McKendrick G, Sharma S, Sun D, Randall PA, Graziane NM. Acute and chronic bupropion treatment does not prevent morphine-induced conditioned place preference in mice. Eur J Pharmacol 2020; 889:173638. [PMID: 33039460 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A substantial barrier to the treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is the elevated relapse rates in affected patients, and a significant contributor to these events of relapse is exposure to cues and contexts that are intensely associated with prior drug abuse. The neurotransmitter dopamine plays a key role in reward-related behaviors, and previous studies have illustrated that dopamine hypofunction in periods of abstinence serves to prompt drug craving and seeking. We hypothesized that restoration of dopaminergic signaling could attenuate drug-seeking behaviors. Therefore, we investigated whether use of an FDA-approved drug, bupropion, an inhibitor of the dopamine transporter (DAT), or a dopamine uptake inhibitor with high affinity for DAT, JHW 007, was able to decrease preference for a drug-paired context. In these experiments, mice underwent 5 days of non-contingent morphine (10 mg/kg) exposure in a conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. We found that systemic injection of bupropion (20 mg/kg, i. p.) or intracranial injection of JHW 007 into the nucleus accumbens shell did not prevent the expression of morphine CPP. We then investigated whether chronic bupropion treatment (via implanted osmotic pumps) would influence morphine CPP. We observed that chronic bupropion treatment for 21 days following morphine conditioning did not attenuate the prolonged preference for morphine-paired contexts. Overall, with our dose and paradigm, neither acute nor chronic bupropion diminishes morphine CPP. Continued studies should address FDA-approved medications and their potential for recovery in OUD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greer McKendrick
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA; Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Sonakshi Sharma
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Dongxiao Sun
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Patrick A Randall
- Departments of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine and Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Nicholas M Graziane
- Departments of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine and Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
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18
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Grogan JP, Sandhu TR, Hu MT, Manohar SG. Dopamine promotes instrumental motivation, but reduces reward-related vigour. eLife 2020; 9:58321. [PMID: 33001026 PMCID: PMC7599069 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We can be motivated when reward depends on performance, or merely by the prospect of a guaranteed reward. Performance-dependent (contingent) reward is instrumental, relying on an internal action-outcome model, whereas motivation by guaranteed reward may minimise opportunity cost in reward-rich environments. Competing theories propose that each type of motivation should be dependent on dopaminergic activity. We contrasted these two types of motivation with a rewarded saccade task, in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). When PD patients were ON dopamine, they had greater response vigour (peak saccadic velocity residuals) for contingent rewards, whereas when PD patients were OFF medication, they had greater vigour for guaranteed rewards. These results support the view that reward expectation and contingency drive distinct motivational processes, and can be dissociated by manipulating dopaminergic activity. We posit that dopamine promotes goal-directed motivation, but dampens reward-driven vigour, contradictory to the prediction that increased tonic dopamine amplifies reward expectation.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Grogan
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy R Sandhu
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Michele T Hu
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Oxford Parkinson's Disease Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sanjay G Manohar
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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19
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Bennett A, Barrera E, Namballa H, Harding W, Ranaldi R. (-)-Stepholidine blocks expression, but not development, of cocaine conditioned place preference in rats. Neurosci Lett 2020; 734:135151. [PMID: 32531529 PMCID: PMC7368993 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2020.135151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of (-)-stepholidine (SPD), a compound with dopamine D1 partial agonist and D2/D3 antagonist properties, on the development and expression of cocaine conditioned place preference (CPP). Subjects (N = 65; male Long Evans rats) were tested using a CPP procedure consisting of 3 phases: (1) a 15-min pre-exposure session where animals could explore each compartment freely, (2) eight 30-min conditioning sessions where animals were restricted to one side or the other with cocaine (10 mg/kg) or saline, respectively, on alternating days and (3) a 15-minute preference test session where animals could explore each compartment freely. To test the effects of SPD on expression of cocaine CPP, rats were administered vehicle (distilled water with 20 % DMSO), 10, 15 or 20 mg/kg SPD (intraperitoneally) 30 min prior to the test session. We found that 20 mg/kg of SPD significantly blocked the expression of cocaine CPP. To test the effects of SPD on the development of CPP, 0 (vehicle), 10, 15 or 20mg/kg SPD were administered 30 min prior to each cocaine conditioning session and vehicle before each saline conditioning session; no treatment was given prior to the test session. A preference test showed that each SPD group maintained a CPP similar to the vehicle group. These data indicate that SPD can block the expression of a cocaine CPP but has no effect on its development, suggesting that it inhibits the effects of cocaine cues on cocaine incentive motivated behavior. These results suggest that SPD may be a potential treatment for cue-driven aspects of cocaine use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bennett
- Queens College of the City University of New York, Department of Psychology, USA
| | - E Barrera
- Queens College of the City University of New York, Department of Psychology, USA
| | - H Namballa
- Hunter College of the City University of New York, Department of Chemistry, USA; CUNY Graduate Center, 365 5thAvenue, New York, NY 10016, USA; CUNY Graduate Center, 365 5thAvenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - W Harding
- Hunter College of the City University of New York, Department of Chemistry, USA; CUNY Graduate Center, 365 5thAvenue, New York, NY 10016, USA; CUNY Graduate Center, 365 5thAvenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - R Ranaldi
- Queens College of the City University of New York, Department of Psychology, USA; CUNY Graduate Center, 365 5thAvenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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20
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Collins AL, Saunders BT. Heterogeneity in striatal dopamine circuits: Form and function in dynamic reward seeking. J Neurosci Res 2020; 98:1046-1069. [PMID: 32056298 PMCID: PMC7183907 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The striatal dopamine system has long been studied in the context of reward learning, motivation, and movement. Given the prominent role dopamine plays in a variety of adaptive behavioral states, as well as diseases like addiction, it is essential to understand the full complexity of dopamine neurons and the striatal systems they target. A growing number of studies are uncovering details of the heterogeneity in dopamine neuron subpopulations. Here, we review that work to synthesize current understanding of dopamine system heterogeneity across three levels, anatomical organization, functions in behavior, and modes of action, wherein we focus on signaling profiles and local mechanisms for modulation of dopamine release. Together, these studies reveal new and emerging dimensions of the striatal dopamine system, informing its contribution to dynamic motivational and decision-making processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne L. Collins
- University of Minnesota, Department of Neuroscience, Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Benjamin T. Saunders
- University of Minnesota, Department of Neuroscience, Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, Minneapolis, MN 55455
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21
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Budygin EA, Bass CE, Grinevich VP, Deal AL, Bonin KD, Weiner JL. Opposite Consequences of Tonic and Phasic Increases in Accumbal Dopamine on Alcohol-Seeking Behavior. iScience 2020; 23:100877. [PMID: 32062422 PMCID: PMC7031354 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.100877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite many years of work on dopaminergic mechanisms of alcohol addiction, much of the evidence remains mostly correlative in nature. Fortunately, recent technological advances have provided the opportunity to explore the causal role of alterations in neurotransmission within circuits involved in addictive behaviors. Here, we address this critical gap in our knowledge by integrating an optogenetic approach and an operant alcohol self-administration paradigm to assess directly how accumbal dopamine (DA) release dynamics influences the appetitive (seeking) component of alcohol-drinking behavior. We show that appetitive reward-seeking behavior in rats trained to self-administer alcohol can be shaped causally by ventral tegmental area-nucleus accumbens (VTA-NAc) DA neurotransmission. Our findings reveal that phasic patterns of DA release within this circuit enhance a discrete measure of alcohol seeking, whereas tonic patterns of stimulation inhibit this behavior. Moreover, we provide mechanistic evidence that tonic-phasic interplay within the VTA-NAc DA circuit underlies these seemingly paradoxical effects. VTA-NAc DA transmission can bidirectionally modulate motivated behavior Optogenetic increases in phasic DA release in the NAc enhance alcohol seeking Optogenetic increases in tonic DA release in the NAc inhibit alcohol seeking Phasic DA release can be decreased by the concurrent tonic activation
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeny A Budygin
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
| | - Caroline E Bass
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Valentina P Grinevich
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Alex L Deal
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Keith D Bonin
- Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Jeff L Weiner
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
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22
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Li K, Bentley P, Nair A, Halse O, Barker G, Russell C, Soto D, Malhotra PA. Reward sensitivity predicts dopaminergic response in spatial neglect. Cortex 2020; 122:213-224. [PMID: 30318090 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2018.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
It has recently been revealed that spatial neglect can be modulated by motivational factors including anticipated monetary reward. A number of dopaminergic agents have been evaluated as treatments for neglect, but the results have been mixed, with no clear anatomical or cognitive predictors of dopaminergic responsiveness. Given that the effects of incentive motivation are mediated by dopaminergic pathways that are variably damaged in stroke, we tested the hypothesis that the modulatory influences of reward and dopaminergic drugs on neglect are themselves related. We employed a single-dose, double-blind, crossover design to compare the effects of Co-careldopa and placebo on a modified visual cancellation task in patients with neglect secondary to right hemisphere stroke. Whilst confirming that reward improved visual search in this group, we showed that dopaminergic stimulation only enhances visual search in the absence of reward. When patients were divided into REWARD-RESPONDERs and REWARD-NON-RESPONDERs, we found an interaction, such that only REWARD-NON-RESPONDERs showed a positive response to reward after receiving Co-careldopa, whereas REWARD-RESPONDERs were not influenced by drug. At a neuroanatomical level, responsiveness to incentive motivation was most associated with intact dorsal striatum. These findings suggest that dopaminergic modulation of neglect follows an 'inverted U' function, is dependent on integrity of the reward system, and can be measured as a behavioural response to anticipated reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Korina Li
- Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK
| | - Paul Bentley
- Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK
| | - Ajoy Nair
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK
| | - Omid Halse
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK
| | - Gareth Barker
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK
| | - Charlotte Russell
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London, UK
| | - David Soto
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language, San Sebastian, Spain; Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Paresh A Malhotra
- Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK.
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23
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Collins AL, Aitken TJ, Huang IW, Shieh C, Greenfield VY, Monbouquette HG, Ostlund SB, Wassum KM. Nucleus Accumbens Cholinergic Interneurons Oppose Cue-Motivated Behavior. Biol Psychiatry 2019; 86:388-396. [PMID: 30955842 PMCID: PMC7003647 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental reward-predictive stimuli provide a major source of motivation for adaptive reward pursuit behavior. This cue-motivated behavior is known to be mediated by the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core. The cholinergic interneurons in the NAc are tonically active and densely arborized and thus well suited to modulate NAc function. However, their causal contribution to adaptive behavior remains unknown. Here we investigated the function of NAc cholinergic interneurons in cue-motivated behavior. METHODS We used chemogenetics, optogenetics, pharmacology, and a translationally analogous Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer behavioral task designed to assess the motivating influence of a reward-predictive cue over reward-seeking actions in male and female rats. RESULTS The data show that NAc cholinergic interneuron activity critically opposes the motivating influence of appetitive cues. Chemogenetic inhibition of NAc cholinergic interneurons augmented cue-motivated behavior. Optical stimulation of acetylcholine release from NAc cholinergic interneurons prevented cues from invigorating reward-seeking behavior, an effect that was mediated by activation of β2-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. CONCLUSIONS NAc cholinergic interneurons provide a critical regulatory influence over adaptive cue-motivated behavior and therefore are a potential therapeutic target for the maladaptive cue-motivated behavior that marks many psychiatric conditions, including addiction and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne L Collins
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Tara J Aitken
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - I-Wen Huang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Christine Shieh
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Venuz Y Greenfield
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Harold G Monbouquette
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Sean B Ostlund
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California
| | - Kate M Wassum
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
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24
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Pavlovian-To-Instrumental Transfer and Alcohol Consumption in Young Male Social Drinkers: Behavioral, Neural and Polygenic Correlates. J Clin Med 2019; 8:jcm8081188. [PMID: 31398853 PMCID: PMC6723486 DOI: 10.3390/jcm8081188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In animals and humans, behavior can be influenced by irrelevant stimuli, a phenomenon called Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT). In subjects with substance use disorder, PIT is even enhanced with functional activation in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and amygdala. While we observed enhanced behavioral and neural PIT effects in alcohol-dependent subjects, we here aimed to determine whether behavioral PIT is enhanced in young men with high-risk compared to low-risk drinking and subsequently related functional activation in an a-priori region of interest encompassing the NAcc and amygdala and related to polygenic risk for alcohol consumption. A representative sample of 18-year old men (n = 1937) was contacted: 445 were screened, 209 assessed: resulting in 191 valid behavioral, 139 imaging and 157 genetic datasets. None of the subjects fulfilled criteria for alcohol dependence according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV-TextRevision (DSM-IV-TR). We measured how instrumental responding for rewards was influenced by background Pavlovian conditioned stimuli predicting action-independent rewards and losses. Behavioral PIT was enhanced in high-compared to low-risk drinkers (b = 0.09, SE = 0.03, z = 2.7, p < 0.009). Across all subjects, we observed PIT-related neural blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal in the right amygdala (t = 3.25, pSVC = 0.04, x = 26, y = -6, z = -12), but not in NAcc. The strength of the behavioral PIT effect was positively correlated with polygenic risk for alcohol consumption (rs = 0.17, p = 0.032). We conclude that behavioral PIT and polygenic risk for alcohol consumption might be a biomarker for a subclinical phenotype of risky alcohol consumption, even if no drug-related stimulus is present. The association between behavioral PIT effects and the amygdala might point to habitual processes related to out PIT task. In non-dependent young social drinkers, the amygdala rather than the NAcc is activated during PIT; possible different involvement in association with disease trajectory should be investigated in future studies.
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25
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Lee MR, Shin JH, Deschaine S, Daurio AM, Stangl BL, Yan J, Ramchandani VA, Schwandt ML, Grodin EN, Momenan R, Corral-Frias NS, Hariri AR, Bogdan R, Alvarez VA, Leggio L. A role for the CD38 rs3796863 polymorphism in alcohol and monetary reward: evidence from CD38 knockout mice and alcohol self-administration, [11C]-raclopride binding, and functional MRI in humans. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2019; 46:167-179. [PMID: 31365285 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2019.1638928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Background: Cluster of differentiation 38 (CD38) is a transmembrane protein expressed in dopaminergic reward pathways in the brain, including the nucleus accumbens (NAc). The GG genotype of a common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) within CD38, rs3796863, is associated with increased social reward.Objective: Examine whether CD38 rs3796863 and Cd38 knockout (KO) are associated with reward-related neural and behavioral phenotypes.Methods: Data from four independent human studies were used to test whether rs3796863 genotype is associated with: (1) intravenous alcohol self-administration (n = 64, 30 females), (2) alcohol-stimulated dopamine (DA) release measured using 11C-raclopride positron emission tomography (n = 22 men), (3) ventral striatum (VS) response to positive feedback measured using a card guessing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm (n = 531, 276 females), and (4) resting state functional connectivity (rsfc) of the VS (n = 51, 26 females). In a fifth study, we used a mouse model to examine whether cd38 knockout influences stimulated DA release in the NAc core and dorsal striatum using fast-scanning cyclic voltammetry.Results: Relative to T allele carriers, G homozygotes at rs3796863 within CD38 were characterized by greater alcohol self-administration, alcohol-stimulated dopamine release, VS response to positive feedback, and rsfc between the VS and anterior cingulate cortex. High-frequency stimulation reduced DA release among Cd38 KO mice had reduced dopamine release in the NAc.Conclusion: Converging evidence suggests that CD38 rs3796863 genotype may increase DA-related reward response and alcohol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary R Lee
- Section on Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology, NIAAA and NIDA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jung H Shin
- Laboratory on Neurobiology of Compulsive Behaviors, NIAAA, NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Sara Deschaine
- Section on Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology, NIAAA and NIDA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Allison M Daurio
- Section on Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology, NIAAA and NIDA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Bethany L Stangl
- Section on Human Psychopharmacology, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jia Yan
- Section on Human Psychopharmacology, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Erica N Grodin
- Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Reza Momenan
- Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nadia S Corral-Frias
- BRAIN Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Psychology Department, University of Sonora, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
| | - Ahmad R Hariri
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ryan Bogdan
- BRAIN Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Veronica A Alvarez
- Laboratory on Neurobiology of Compulsive Behaviors, NIAAA, NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Section on Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology, NIAAA and NIDA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.,Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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26
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Stoilova VV, Wette SA, Stüttgen MC. A Free-Operant Reward-Tracking Paradigm to Study Neural Mechanisms and Neurochemical Modulation of Adaptive Behavior in Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E3098. [PMID: 31242610 PMCID: PMC6627494 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20123098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to respond flexibly to changing environmental circumstances is a hallmark of goal-directed behavior, and compromised flexibility is associated with a wide range of psychiatric conditions in humans, such as addiction and stress-related disorders. To identify neural circuits and transmitter systems implicated in the provision of cognitive flexibility, suitable animal paradigms are needed. Ideally, such models should be easy to implement, allow for rapid task acquisition, provide multiple behavioral readouts, and permit combination with physiological and pharmacological testing and manipulation. Here, we describe a paradigm meeting these requirements and employ it to investigate the neural substrates and neurochemical modulation of adaptive behavior. Water-restricted rats learned to emit operant responses for positive reinforcement (water reward) within minutes in a free-operant conditioning environment. Without further training, animals were able to track changes in the reward schedule. Given prior evidence that the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the dopaminergic system are required for flexible behavior, we aimed to assess both in more detail. Silencing of mPFC compromised flexible behavior when avoidance of punishment was required. Systemic injections of the D2-receptor agonist quinpirole and the D2-receptor antagonist eticlopride had complex, differential impacts on reward seeking and adaptive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanya V Stoilova
- Institute of Pathophysiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Sina A Wette
- Institute of Pathophysiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Maik C Stüttgen
- Institute of Pathophysiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
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27
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Halbout B, Marshall AT, Azimi A, Liljeholm M, Mahler SV, Wassum KM, Ostlund SB. Mesolimbic dopamine projections mediate cue-motivated reward seeking but not reward retrieval in rats. eLife 2019; 8:43551. [PMID: 31107241 PMCID: PMC6548499 DOI: 10.7554/elife.43551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Efficient foraging requires an ability to coordinate discrete reward-seeking and reward-retrieval behaviors. We used pathway-specific chemogenetic inhibition to investigate how rats’ mesolimbic and mesocortical dopamine circuits contribute to the expression and modulation of reward seeking and retrieval. Inhibiting ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons disrupted the tendency for reward-paired cues to motivate reward seeking, but spared their ability to increase attempts to retrieve reward. Similar effects were produced by inhibiting dopamine inputs to nucleus accumbens, but not medial prefrontal cortex. Inhibiting dopamine neurons spared the suppressive effect of reward devaluation on reward seeking, an assay of goal-directed behavior. Attempts to retrieve reward persisted after devaluation, indicating they were habitually performed as part of a fixed action sequence. Our findings show that complete bouts of reward seeking and retrieval are behaviorally and neurally dissociable from bouts of reward seeking without retrieval. This dichotomy may prove useful for uncovering mechanisms of maladaptive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Briac Halbout
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, United States.,Irvine Center for Addiction Neuroscience, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, United States
| | - Andrew T Marshall
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, United States.,Irvine Center for Addiction Neuroscience, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, United States
| | - Ali Azimi
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, United States.,Irvine Center for Addiction Neuroscience, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, United States
| | - Mimi Liljeholm
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, United States
| | - Stephen V Mahler
- Irvine Center for Addiction Neuroscience, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, United States.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, United States
| | - Kate M Wassum
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States.,Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Sean B Ostlund
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, United States.,Irvine Center for Addiction Neuroscience, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, United States
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28
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Iordanova MD. Dopamine Signaling Is Critical for Supporting Cue-Driven Behavioral Control. Neuroscience 2019; 412:257-258. [PMID: 31103706 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Mesolimbic dopamine has been implicated in reward learning. Fischbach-Weiss and Janak (this issue) use optogenetics to attenuate dopamine signaling and study its role in cue-driven motivated behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihaela D Iordanova
- Department of Psychology/Centre for Studies in Behavioural Neurobiology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
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29
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Malvaez M, Shieh C, Murphy MD, Greenfield VY, Wassum KM. Distinct cortical-amygdala projections drive reward value encoding and retrieval. Nat Neurosci 2019; 22:762-769. [PMID: 30962632 PMCID: PMC6486448 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-019-0374-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The value of an anticipated rewarding event is a crucial component of the decision to engage in its pursuit. But little is known of the networks responsible for encoding and retrieving this value. By using biosensors and pharmacological manipulations, we found that basolateral amygdala (BLA) glutamatergic activity tracks and mediates encoding and retrieval of the state-dependent incentive value of a palatable food reward. Projection-specific, bidirectional chemogenetic and optogenetic manipulations revealed that the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) supports the BLA in these processes. Critically, the function of ventrolateral and medial OFC→BLA projections is doubly dissociable. Whereas lateral OFC→BLA projections are necessary and sufficient for encoding of the positive value of a reward, medial OFC→BLA projections are necessary and sufficient for retrieving this value from memory. These data reveal a new circuit for adaptive reward valuation and pursuit and provide insight into the dysfunction in these processes that characterizes myriad psychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Malvaez
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christine Shieh
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael D Murphy
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Venuz Y Greenfield
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kate M Wassum
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. .,Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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30
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Abstract
Our target article proposes that a new concept - incentive hope - is necessary in the behavioral sciences to explain animal foraging under harsh environmental conditions. Incentive hope refers to a specific motivational mechanism in the brain - considered only in mammals and birds. But it can also be understood at a functional level, as an adaptive behavioral strategy that contributes to improve survival. Thus, this concept is an attempt to bridge across different research fields such as behavioral psychology, reward neuroscience, and behavioral ecology. Many commentaries suggest that incentive hope even could help understand phenomena beyond these research fields, including food wasting and food sharing, mental energy conservation, diverse psychopathologies, irrational decisions in invertebrates, and some aspects of evolution by means of sexual selection. We are favorable to such extensions because incentive hope denotes an unconscious process capable of working against many forms of adversity; organisms do not need to hope as a subjective feeling, but to behave as if they had this feeling. In our response, we carefully discuss each suggestion and criticism and reiterate the importance of having a theory accounting for motivation under reward uncertainty.
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31
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Cieślak PE, Rodriguez Parkitna J. Ablation of NMDA receptors in dopamine neurons disrupts attribution of incentive salience to reward-paired stimuli. Behav Brain Res 2019; 363:77-82. [PMID: 30711444 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.01.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons play a crucial role in the formation of conditioned associations between environmental cues and appetitive events. Activation of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors is a key mechanism responsible for the generation of conditioned responses of DA neurons to reward cues. Here, we tested the effects of the cell type-specific inactivation of NMDA receptors in DA neurons in adult mice on stimulus-reward learning. Animals were trained in a Pavlovian learning paradigm in which they had to learn the predictive value of two conditioned stimuli, one of which (CS+) was paired with the delivery of a water reward. Over the course of conditioning, mutant mice learned that the CS+ predicted reward availability, and they approached the reward receptacle more frequently during CS+ trials than CS- trials. However, conditioned responses to the CS+ were weaker in the mutant mice, possibly indicating that they did not attribute incentive salience to the CS+. To further assess whether the attribution of incentive salience was impaired by the mutation, animals were tested in a conditioned reinforcement test. The test revealed that mutant mice made fewer instrumental responses paired with CS+ presentation, confirming that the CS+ had a weaker incentive value. Taken together, these results indicate that reward prediction learning does occur in the absence of NMDA receptors in DA neurons, but the ability of reward-paired cues to invigorate and reinforce behavior is attenuated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Przemysław Eligiusz Cieślak
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343, Krakow, Poland
| | - Jan Rodriguez Parkitna
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343, Krakow, Poland.
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32
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Klawonn AM, Malenka RC. Nucleus Accumbens Modulation in Reward and Aversion. COLD SPRING HARBOR SYMPOSIA ON QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY 2019; 83:119-129. [PMID: 30674650 PMCID: PMC6650377 DOI: 10.1101/sqb.2018.83.037457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a key node of the brain’s circuitry that is responsible for translating motivation into action. It has been implicated in playing critical roles in virtually all forms of adaptive and pathological motivated behaviors. It is subject to modulation by a broad array of inputs that influence NAc activity in complex ways that are still poorly understood. Here, we briefly review current knowledge about the behavioral consequences of NAc modulation, focusing on recent studies that use novel techniques developed and implemented over the last decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M Klawonn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Robert C Malenka
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA
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33
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Radke AK, Kocharian A, Covey DP, Lovinger DM, Cheer JF, Mateo Y, Holmes A. Contributions of nucleus accumbens dopamine to cognitive flexibility. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 50:2023-2035. [PMID: 30218623 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Revised: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
There is a compelling evidence that midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons and their projections to the ventral striatum provide a mechanism for motivating reward-seeking behavior, and for utilizing information about unexpected reward prediction errors (RPEs) to guide behavior based on current, rather than historical, outcomes. When this mechanism is compromised in addictions, it may produce patterns of maladaptive behavior that remain obdurate in the face of contrary information and even adverse consequences. Nonetheless, DAergic contributions to performance on behavioral tasks that rely on the ability to flexibly update stimulus-reward relationships remains incompletly understood. In the current study, we used a discrimination and reversal paradigm to monitor subsecond DA release in mouse NAc core (NAc) using in vivo fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV). We observed post-choice elevations in phasic NAc DA release; however, increased DA transients were only evident during early reversal when mice made responses at the newly rewarded stimulus. Based on this finding, we used in vivo optogenetic (eNpHR) photosilencing and (Channelrhodopsin2 [ChR2]) photostimulation to assess the effects of manipulating VTA-DAergic fibers in the NAc on reversal performance. Photosilencing the VTA → NAc DAergic pathway during early reversal increased errors, while photostimulation did not demonstrably affect behavior. Taken together, these data provide additional evidence of the importance of NAc DA release as a neural substrate supporting adjustments in learned behavior after a switch in expected stimulus-reward contingencies. These findings have possible implications for furthering understanding the role of DA in persistent, maladaptive decision-making characterizing addictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Radke
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA.,Psychology Department, Miami University, 90 N Patterson Ave, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA.,Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA
| | - Adrina Kocharian
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Dan P Covey
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - David M Lovinger
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joseph F Cheer
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yolanda Mateo
- Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Andrew Holmes
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
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34
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Hailwood JM, Gilmour G, Robbins TW, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ, Marston HM, Gastambide F. Oxygen responses within the nucleus accumbens are associated with individual differences in effort exertion in rats. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 48:2971-2987. [PMID: 30218588 PMCID: PMC6282581 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Revised: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Goal‐directed motivated behaviour is crucial for everyday life. Such behaviour is often measured, in rodents, under a progressive ratio (PR) schedule of reinforcement. Previous studies have identified a few brain structures critical for supporting PR performance. However, the association between neural activity within these regions and individual differences in effort‐related behaviour is not known. Presently, we used constant potential in vivo oxygen amperometry, a surrogate for functional resonance imaging in rodents, to assess changes in tissue oxygen levels within the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in male Wistar rats performing a PR task. Within both regions, oxygen responses to rewards increased as the effort exerted to obtain the rewards was larger. Furthermore, higher individual breakpoints were associated with greater magnitude NAc oxygen responses. This association could not be explained by temporal confounds and remained significant when controlling for the different number of completed trials. Animals with higher breakpoints also showed greater magnitude NAc oxygen responses to rewards delivered independently of any behaviour. In contrast, OFC oxygen responses were not associated with individual differences in behavioural performance. The present results suggest that greater NAc oxygen responses following rewards, through a process of incentive motivation, may allow organisms to remain on task for longer and to overcome greater effort costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Hailwood
- Department of Psychology and Behvaioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Gary Gilmour
- Erl Wood Manor, Eli Lilly & Co Ltd, Windlesham, UK
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology and Behvaioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Molecular Medicine Research Group, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Department of Psychology and Behvaioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Molecular Medicine Research Group, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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35
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Nord CL, Lawson RP, Huys QJM, Pilling S, Roiser JP. Depression is associated with enhanced aversive Pavlovian control over instrumental behaviour. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12582. [PMID: 30135491 PMCID: PMC6105578 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30828-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The dynamic modulation of instrumental behaviour by conditioned Pavlovian cues is an important process in decision-making. Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) are known to exhibit mood-congruent biases in information processing, which may occur due to Pavlovian influences, but this hypothesis has never been tested directly in an unmedicated sample. To address this we tested unmedicated MDD patients and healthy volunteers on a computerized Pavlovian-Instrumental Transfer (PIT) task designed to separately examine instrumental approach and withdrawal actions in the context of Pavlovian appetitive and aversive cues. This design allowed us to directly measure the degree to which Pavlovian cues influence instrumental responding. Depressed patients were profoundly influenced by aversive Pavlovian stimuli, to a significantly greater degree than healthy volunteers. This was the case for instrumental behaviour both in the approach condition (in which aversive Pavlovian cues inhibited ‘go’ responses), and in the withdrawal condition (in which aversive Pavlovian cues facilitated ‘go’ responses). Exaggerated aversive PIT provides a potential cognitive mechanism for biased emotion processing in major depression. This finding also has wider significance for the understanding of disrupted motivational processing in neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- C L Nord
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, 17 Queen Square, WC1N 3AZ, London, UK. .,Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Level E4, Box 189, Hills Road, CB2 0QQ, Cambridge, UK.
| | - R P Lawson
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, 17 Queen Square, WC1N 3AZ, London, UK.,Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, University College London, 12 Queen Square, WC1N 3BG, London, UK.,Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, CB2 3EB, Cambridge, UK
| | - Q J M Huys
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit, Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich and University of Zürich, Wilfriedstrasse 6, 8032, Zürich, Switzerland.,Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Lenggstasse 31, 8032, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - S Pilling
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, Gower Street, WC1E 6BT, London, UK
| | - J P Roiser
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, 17 Queen Square, WC1N 3AZ, London, UK
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36
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Marshall AT, Ostlund SB. Repeated cocaine exposure dysregulates cognitive control over cue-evoked reward-seeking behavior during Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 25:399-409. [PMID: 30115761 PMCID: PMC6097769 DOI: 10.1101/lm.047621.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Drug-paired cues acquire powerful motivational properties, but only lead to active drug-seeking behavior if they are potent enough to overwhelm the cognitive control processes that serve to suppress such urges. Studies using the Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) task have shown that rats pretreated with cocaine or amphetamine exhibit heightened levels of cue-motivated food-seeking behavior, suggesting that exposure to these drugs sensitizes the incentive motivational system. However, the PIT testing protocol can also create conflict between two competing behavioral responses to the reward-paired cue: active reward seeking (e.g., lever pressing) and passive conditioned food-cup approach behavior. We therefore investigated whether repeated cocaine exposure alters the way in which rats use cue-based reward expectations to resolve such conflict. In-depth analysis of previously published and new research confirmed that when drug-naïve rats are given a cue that signals the timing of a delayed noncontingent reward, they adaptively transition from reward seeking to conditioned approach behavior, facilitating efficient collection of the predicted reward. In contrast, cocaine-exposed rats exhibit pronounced behavioral dysregulation, increasing, rather than suppressing, their reward-seeking behavior over time, disrupting their ability to passively collect reward. Such findings speak to the important and sometimes overlooked role that cognitive control plays in determining the motivational impact of cues associated with drug and nondrug rewards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T Marshall
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, Irvine Center for Addiction Neuroscience, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Sean B Ostlund
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, Irvine Center for Addiction Neuroscience, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
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37
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Saunders BT, Richard JM, Margolis EB, Janak PH. Dopamine neurons create Pavlovian conditioned stimuli with circuit-defined motivational properties. Nat Neurosci 2018; 21:1072-1083. [PMID: 30038277 PMCID: PMC6082399 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-018-0191-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 217] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Environmental cues, through Pavlovian learning, become conditioned stimuli that guide animals toward the acquisition of rewards (for example, food) that are necessary for survival. We tested the fundamental role of midbrain dopamine neurons in conferring predictive and motivational properties to cues, independent of external rewards. We found that brief phasic optogenetic excitation of dopamine neurons, when presented in temporal association with discrete sensory cues, was sufficient to instantiate those cues as conditioned stimuli that subsequently both evoked dopamine neuron activity on their own and elicited cue-locked conditioned behavior. Notably, we identified highly parcellated functions for dopamine neuron subpopulations projecting to different regions of striatum, revealing dissociable dopamine systems for the generation of incentive value and conditioned movement invigoration. Our results indicate that dopamine neurons orchestrate Pavlovian conditioning via functionally heterogeneous, circuit-specific motivational signals to create, gate, and shape cue-controlled behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin T Saunders
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Jocelyn M Richard
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Elyssa B Margolis
- Department of Neurology, Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Alcoholism and Addiction Research Group, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Patricia H Janak
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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38
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Fortin SM, Roitman MF. Challenges to Body Fluid Homeostasis Differentially Recruit Phasic Dopamine Signaling in a Taste-Selective Manner. J Neurosci 2018; 38:6841-6853. [PMID: 29934352 PMCID: PMC6070668 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0399-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The internal environment of an organism must remain stable to ensure optimal performance and ultimately survival. The generation of motivated behaviors is an adaptive mechanism for defending homeostasis. Although physiological state modulates motivated behaviors, the influence of physiological state on phasic dopamine signaling, an underlying neurobiological substrate of reward-driven behavior, is underexplored. Here, we use sodium depletion and water restriction, manipulations of body fluid homeostasis, to determine the flexibility and specificity of dopamine responses. Changes in dopamine concentration were measured using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry in the nucleus accumbens shell of male rats in response to intraoral infusions of fluids that either satisfied or did not satisfy homeostatic need. Increases in dopamine concentration during intraoral infusions were observed only under conditions of physiological deficit. Furthermore, dopamine increases were selective and limited to those that satisfied the need state of the animal. Thus, dopamine neurons track fluid balance and respond to salt and water stimuli in a state- and taste-dependent manner. Using Fluoro-Gold tracing and immunohistochemistry for c-Fos and Foxp2, a marker of sodium-deprivation responsive neurons, we revealed brainstem populations of neurons that are activated by sodium depletion and project directly to the ventral tegmental area. The identified projections may modulate dopamine neuron excitability and consequently the state-specific dopamine release observed in our experiments. This work illustrates the impact of physiological state on mesolimbic dopamine signaling and a potential circuit by which homeostatic disruptions are communicated to mesolimbic circuitry to drive the selective reinforcement of biologically-required stimuli under conditions of physiological need.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Motivated behaviors arise during physiological need and are highly selective for homeostasis-restoring stimuli. Although phasic dopamine signaling has been shown to contribute to the generation of motivated behaviors, the state and stimulus specificity of phasic dopamine signaling is less clear. These studies use thirst and sodium appetite to show that dopamine neurons dynamically track body fluid homeostasis and respond to water and salt stimuli in a state- and taste-dependent manner. We also identify hindbrain sodium deprivation-responsive neurons that project directly to the ventral tegmental area, where dopamine neuron cell bodies reside. This work demonstrates command of homeostasis over dopamine signaling and proposes a circuit by which physiological need drives motivated behavior by state- and taste-selective recruitment of phasic dopamine signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mitchell F Roitman
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience and
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, Illinois, 60607
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39
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Contributions of Pavlovian incentive motivation to cue-potentiated feeding. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2766. [PMID: 29426846 PMCID: PMC5807356 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-21046-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cues signaling the availability of palatable food acquire the ability to potentiate food seeking and consumption. The current study employed a combination of behavioral, pharmacological, and analytical techniques to probe the role of Pavlovian incentive motivation in cue-potentiated feeding. We show that a cue paired with sucrose solution (CS+) can transfer its control over feeding to stimulate sucrose consumption at a new receptacle, and that this effect depends on activation of D1 dopamine receptors, which is known to modulate other forms of cue-motivated behavior but not taste palatability. Microstructural analyses of sucrose-licking behavior revealed that the CS+ tended to increase the frequency with which rats engaged in active bouts of licking behavior without having a reliable effect on the duration of those licking bouts, a measure that was instead associated with sucrose palatability. Furthermore, we found that individual differences in CS+ elicited increases in bout frequency were associated with total sucrose intake at test, supporting the view that this process was related to meaningful dysregulation of eating behavior. The current study, therefore, (1) demonstrates that a dopamine-dependent Pavlovian incentive motivational process can mediate cue-potentiated feeding, and (2) lays out an experimental and analytical approach for parsing this aspect of behavior.
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40
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Saddoris MP, Sugam JA, Carelli RM. Prior Cocaine Experience Impairs Normal Phasic Dopamine Signals of Reward Value in Accumbens Shell. Neuropsychopharmacology 2017; 42:766-773. [PMID: 27604567 PMCID: PMC5240185 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Revised: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine signals have repeatedly been linked to associative learning and motivational processes. However, there is considerably less agreement on a role for dopamine in reward processing, and therefore whether neuroplastic changes in dopamine function following chronic exposure to drugs of abuse such as cocaine may impair appropriate valuation of rewarding stimuli. To quantify this, we voltammetrically measured real-time dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core or shell while rats received unsignaled deliveries of either a small (1 pellet) or large (2 pellets) reward. In drug-naive controls, core dopamine signals did not discriminate between reward size at any point, while in the shell dopamine encoded magnitude differences only in a slower postpeak period. Despite this lack of discrimination between rewards by the peak DA response, controls easily discriminated between reward options in a subsequent choice task. In contrast, phasic dopamine reward signals were strongly altered by cocaine experience; core dopamine decreased peak response but increased discrimination between reward magnitudes while shell lost phasic responses to reward receipt altogether. Notably, animals with cocaine-associated alterations in dopamine signals for reward magnitude failed to subsequently discriminate between reward options. These findings suggest that cocaine self-administration alters the ability for dopamine signals to appropriately assign value to rewards and thus may in part contribute to later deficits in behaviors that depend on appropriate outcome valuation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Saddoris
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Jonathan A Sugam
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Regina M Carelli
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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41
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Ostlund SB, Liu AT, Wassum KM, Maidment NT. Modulation of cue-triggered reward seeking by cholinergic signaling in the dorsomedial striatum. Eur J Neurosci 2017; 45:358-364. [PMID: 27813263 PMCID: PMC5293608 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Revised: 10/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The dorsomedial striatum (DMS) has been strongly implicated in flexible, outcome-based decision making, including the outcome-specific Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer effect (PIT), which measures the tendency for a reward-predictive cue to preferentially motivate actions that have been associated with the predicted reward over actions associated with different rewards. Although the neurochemical underpinnings of this effect are not well understood, there is growing evidence that striatal acetylcholine signaling may play an important role. This study investigated this hypothesis by assessing the effects of intra-DMS infusions of the nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine or the muscarinic antagonist scopolamine on expression of specific PIT in rats. These treatments produced dissociable behavioral effects. Mecamylamine infusions enhanced rats' tendency to use specific cue-elicited outcome expectations to select whichever action was trained with the predicted outcome, relative to their performance when tested after vehicle infusions. In contrast, scopolamine infusions appeared to render instrumental performance insensitive to this motivational influence of reward-paired cues. These drug treatments had no detectable effect on conditioned food cup approach behavior, indicating that they selectively perturbed cue-guided action selection without producing more wide-ranging alterations in behavioral control. Our findings reveal an important role for DMS acetylcholine signaling in modulating the impact of cue-evoked reward expectations on instrumental action selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean B Ostlund
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, 3111 Gillespie Neuroscience Research Facility, UCI, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Irvine Center for Addiction Neuroscience, UCI, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Angela T Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, 3111 Gillespie Neuroscience Research Facility, UCI, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Kate M Wassum
- Department of Psychology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Brain Research Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nigel T Maidment
- Brain Research Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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42
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Cartoni E, Balleine B, Baldassarre G. Appetitive Pavlovian-instrumental Transfer: A review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 71:829-848. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 199] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2016] [Revised: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Collins AL, Aitken TJ, Greenfield VY, Ostlund SB, Wassum KM. Nucleus Accumbens Acetylcholine Receptors Modulate Dopamine and Motivation. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:2830-2838. [PMID: 27240658 PMCID: PMC5061892 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Revised: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Environmental reward-predictive cues can motivate reward-seeking behaviors. Although this influence is normally adaptive, it can become maladaptive in disordered states, such as addiction. Dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens core (NAc) is known to mediate the motivational impact of reward-predictive cues, but little is known about how other neuromodulatory systems contribute to cue-motivated behavior. Here, we examined the role of the NAc cholinergic receptor system in cue-motivated behavior using a Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer task designed to assess the motivating influence of a reward-predictive cue over an independently-trained instrumental action. Disruption of NAc muscarinic acetylcholine receptor activity attenuated, whereas blockade of nicotinic receptors augmented cue-induced invigoration of reward seeking. We next examined a potential dopaminergic mechanism for this behavioral effect by combining fast-scan cyclic voltammetry with local pharmacological acetylcholine receptor manipulation. The data show evidence of opposing modulation of cue-evoked dopamine release, with muscarinic and nicotinic receptor antagonists causing suppression and augmentation, respectively, consistent with the behavioral effects of these manipulations. In addition to demonstrating cholinergic modulation of naturally-evoked and behaviorally-relevant dopamine signaling, these data suggest that NAc cholinergic receptors may gate the expression of cue-motivated behavior through modulation of phasic dopamine release.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tara J Aitken
- Department of Psychology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Sean B Ostlund
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, UCI, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Kate M Wassum
- Department of Psychology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA,Brain Research Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA,Department of Psychology, UCLA, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA, Tel: 3108255443, Fax: 310 206 5895, E-mail:
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44
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Nicola SM. Reassessing wanting and liking in the study of mesolimbic influence on food intake. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2016; 311:R811-R840. [PMID: 27534877 PMCID: PMC5130579 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00234.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Humans and animals such as rats and mice tend to overconsume calorie-dense foods, a phenomenon that likely contributes to obesity. One often-advanced explanation for why we preferentially consume sweet and fatty foods is that they are more "rewarding" than low-calorie foods. "Reward" has been subdivided into three interdependent psychological processes: hedonia (liking a food), reinforcement (formation of associations among stimuli, actions, and/or the food), and motivation (wanting the food). Research into these processes has focused on the mesolimbic system, which comprises both dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area and neurons in their major projection target, the nucleus accumbens. The mesolimbic system and closely connected structures are commonly referred to as the brain's "reward circuit." Implicit in this title is the assumption that "rewarding" experiences are generally the result of activity in this circuit. In this review, I argue that food intake and the preference for calorie-dense foods can be explained without reference to subjective emotions. Furthermore, the contribution of mesolimbic dopamine to food intake and preference may not be a general one of promoting or coordinating behaviors that result in the most reward or caloric intake but may instead be limited to the facilitation of a specific form of neural computation that results in conditioned approach behavior. Studies on the neural mechanisms of caloric intake regulation must address how sensory information about calorie intake affects not just the mesolimbic system but also many other forms of computation that govern other types of food-seeking and food-oriented behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saleem M Nicola
- Departments of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
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45
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Sommer S, Hauber W. Ghrelin receptor activation in the ventral tegmental area amplified instrumental responding but not the excitatory influence of Pavlovian stimuli on instrumental responding. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2016; 134 Pt B:210-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2016.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Revised: 08/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Qi L, Thomas E, White SH, Smith SK, Lee CA, Wilson LR, Sombers LA. Unmasking the Effects of L-DOPA on Rapid Dopamine Signaling with an Improved Approach for Nafion Coating Carbon-Fiber Microelectrodes. Anal Chem 2016; 88:8129-36. [PMID: 27441547 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6b01871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
L-DOPA has been the gold standard for symptomatic treatment of Parkinson's disease. However, its efficacy wanes over time as motor complications develop. Very little is known about how L-DOPA therapy affects the dynamics of fluctuating dopamine concentrations in the striatum on a rapid time scale (seconds). Electrochemical studies investigating the effects of L-DOPA treatment on electrically evoked dopamine release have reported conflicting results with significant variability. We hypothesize that the uncertainty in the electrochemical data is largely due to electrode fouling caused by polymerization of L-DOPA and endogenous catecholamines on the electrode surface. Thus, we have systematically optimized the procedure for fabricating cylindrical, Nafion-coated, carbon-fiber microelectrodes. This has enabled rapid and reliable detection of L-DOPA's effects on striatal dopamine signaling in intact rat brain using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry. An acute dose of 5 mg/kg L-DOPA had no significant effect on dopamine dynamics, demonstrating the highly efficient regulatory mechanisms at work in the intact brain. In contrast, administration of 200 mg/kg L-DOPA significantly increased the amplitude of evoked dopamine release by ∼200%. Overall, this work describes a reliable tool that allows a better measure of L-DOPA augmented dopamine release in vivo, measured using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry. It provides a methodology that improves the stability and performance of the carbon-fiber microelectrode when studying the molecular mechanisms underlying L-DOPA therapy and also promises to benefit a wide variety of studies because Nafion is so commonly used in electroanalytical chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingjiao Qi
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Elina Thomas
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Stephanie H White
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Samantha K Smith
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Christie A Lee
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Leslie R Wilson
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Leslie A Sombers
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
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47
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Scülfort SA, Bartsch D, Enkel T. Dopamine antagonism does not impair learning of Pavlovian conditioned approach to manipulable or non-manipulable cues but biases responding towards goal tracking. Behav Brain Res 2016; 314:1-5. [PMID: 27478141 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.07.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Revised: 07/26/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine's (DA) role in reward-processing is currently discussed as either providing a teaching signal to guide learning or mediating the transfer of incentive salience (i.e. motivational aspects) from unconditioned stimuli (US) to conditioned stimuli (CS). We used a Pavlovian conditioned approach (PCA) procedure to further investigate DAs contribution to these processes. Experiment 1 assessed the acquisition of PCA to a manipulable lever cue for 7days under DA-blockade with Flupenthixol (FLU; 225μg/kg) or Saline (SAL) treatment, followed by 6-days off-drug testing. FLU decreased the number of conditioned responses (CR) during the treatment phase, but cessation of treatment resulted in an immediate increase in CR to levels comparable to SAL controls; notably, CR in FLU-treated rats were restricted to goal tracking behaviour. During continued off-drug testing, rats from the FLU group developed sign tracking with a similar temporal pattern as controls. In experiment 2, acquisition of PCA to a non-manipulable auditory cue was investigated. FLU reduced the number of CR during treatment, and removing DA antagonism resulted in a similar rapid increase of CR as seen in experiment 1. These data complement other reports by demonstrating that, independently from the physical properties of the CS, DA is not required for learning predictive aspects of a CS-US relationship but for the development of behaviour (namely sign tracking) which is based on the motivational aspects of a CS-US relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie A Scülfort
- Dept. of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/University of Heidelberg, Square J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Dusan Bartsch
- Dept. of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/University of Heidelberg, Square J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Thomas Enkel
- Dept. of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/University of Heidelberg, Square J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany.
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48
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Optogenetically-induced tonic dopamine release from VTA-nucleus accumbens projections inhibits reward consummatory behaviors. Neuroscience 2016; 333:54-64. [PMID: 27421228 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2016] [Revised: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 07/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Recent optogenetic studies demonstrated that phasic dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens may play a causal role in multiple aspects of natural and drug reward-related behaviors. The role of tonic dopamine release in reward consummatory behavior remains unclear. The current study used a combinatorial viral-mediated gene delivery approach to express ChR2 on mesolimbic dopamine neurons in rats. We used optical activation of this dopamine circuit to mimic tonic dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and to explore the causal relationship between this form of dopamine signaling within the ventral tegmental area (VTA)-nucleus accumbens projection and consumption of a natural reward. Using a two bottle choice paradigm (sucrose vs. water), the experiments revealed that tonic optogenetic stimulation of mesolimbic dopamine transmission significantly decreased reward consummatory behaviors. Specifically, there was a significant decrease in the number of bouts, licks and amount of sucrose obtained during the drinking session. Notably, activation of VTA dopamine cell bodies or dopamine terminals in the nucleus accumbens resulted in identical behavioral consequences. No changes in water intake were evident under the same experimental conditions. Collectively, these data demonstrate that tonic optogenetic stimulation of VTA-nucleus accumbens dopamine release is sufficient to inhibit reward consummatory behavior, possibly by preventing this circuit from engaging in phasic activity that is thought to be essential for reward-based behaviors.
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49
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Garbusow M, Schad DJ, Sebold M, Friedel E, Bernhardt N, Koch SP, Steinacher B, Kathmann N, Geurts DEM, Sommer C, Müller DK, Nebe S, Paul S, Wittchen HU, Zimmermann US, Walter H, Smolka MN, Sterzer P, Rapp MA, Huys QJM, Schlagenhauf F, Heinz A. Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer effects in the nucleus accumbens relate to relapse in alcohol dependence. Addict Biol 2016; 21:719-31. [PMID: 25828702 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In detoxified alcohol-dependent patients, alcohol-related stimuli can promote relapse. However, to date, the mechanisms by which contextual stimuli promote relapse have not been elucidated in detail. One hypothesis is that such contextual stimuli directly stimulate the motivation to drink via associated brain regions like the ventral striatum and thus promote alcohol seeking, intake and relapse. Pavlovian-to-Instrumental-Transfer (PIT) may be one of those behavioral phenomena contributing to relapse, capturing how Pavlovian conditioned (contextual) cues determine instrumental behavior (e.g. alcohol seeking and intake). We used a PIT paradigm during functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the effects of classically conditioned Pavlovian stimuli on instrumental choices in n = 31 detoxified patients diagnosed with alcohol dependence and n = 24 healthy controls matched for age and gender. Patients were followed up over a period of 3 months. We observed that (1) there was a significant behavioral PIT effect for all participants, which was significantly more pronounced in alcohol-dependent patients; (2) PIT was significantly associated with blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signals in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) in subsequent relapsers only; and (3) PIT-related NAcc activation was associated with, and predictive of, critical outcomes (amount of alcohol intake and relapse during a 3 months follow-up period) in alcohol-dependent patients. These observations show for the first time that PIT-related BOLD signals, as a measure of the influence of Pavlovian cues on instrumental behavior, predict alcohol intake and relapse in alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Garbusow
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte; Germany
| | - Daniel J. Schad
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte; Germany
| | - Miriam Sebold
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte; Germany
| | - Eva Friedel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte; Germany
| | - Nadine Bernhardt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Technische Universität Dresden; Germany
- Neuroimaging Center; Technische Universität Dresden; Dresden Germany
| | - Stefan P. Koch
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte; Germany
| | - Bruno Steinacher
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Geriatric Psychiatry; Vivantes Wenckebach-Klinikum; Germany
| | - Norbert Kathmann
- Department of Psychology; Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin; Germany
| | - Dirk E. M. Geurts
- Radboud University; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging; Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Radboud University Medical Center; Department of Psychiatry; Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Christian Sommer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Technische Universität Dresden; Germany
| | - Dirk K. Müller
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Technische Universität Dresden; Germany
- Neuroimaging Center; Technische Universität Dresden; Dresden Germany
| | - Stephan Nebe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Technische Universität Dresden; Germany
- Neuroimaging Center; Technische Universität Dresden; Dresden Germany
| | - Sören Paul
- Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy; Technische Universität Dresden; Germany
| | - Hans-Ulrich Wittchen
- Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy; Technische Universität Dresden; Germany
| | - Ulrich S. Zimmermann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Technische Universität Dresden; Germany
| | - Henrik Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte; Germany
| | - Michael N. Smolka
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Technische Universität Dresden; Germany
- Neuroimaging Center; Technische Universität Dresden; Dresden Germany
| | - Philipp Sterzer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte; Germany
| | - Michael A. Rapp
- Social and Preventive Medicine, Area of Excellence Cognitive Sciences; University of Potsdam; Germany
| | - Quentin J. M. Huys
- Centre for Addiction Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Hospital of Psychiatry; University of Zürich; Switzerland
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit, Institute for Biomedical Engineering; University of Zurich and ETH Zurich; Switzerland
| | - Florian Schlagenhauf
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte; Germany
- Max Planck Fellow Group ‘Cognitive and Affective Control of Behavioral Adaptation’; Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences; Leipzig Germany
| | - Andreas Heinz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte; Germany
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50
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Pool E, Sennwald V, Delplanque S, Brosch T, Sander D. Measuring wanting and liking from animals to humans: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 63:124-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2015] [Revised: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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