The cellular basis of mechanosensation in mammalian tongue

Mechanosensory neurons that innervate the tongue provide essential information to guide feeding, speech, and social grooming. We use in vivo calcium imaging of mouse trigeminal ganglion neurons to identify functional groups of mechanosensory neurons innervating the anterior tongue. These sensory neurons respond to thermal and mechanical stimulation. Analysis of neuronal activity patterns reveal that most mechanosensory trigeminal neurons are tuned to detect moving stimuli across the tongue. Using an unbiased, multilayer hierarchical clustering approach to classify pressure-evoked activity based on temporal response dynamics, we identify five functional classes of mechanosensory neurons with distinct force-response relations and adaptation profiles. These populations are tuned to detect different features of touch. Molecular markers of functionally distinct clusters are identified by analyzing cluster representation in genetically marked neuronal subsets. Collectively, these studies provide a platform for defining the contributions of functionally distinct mechanosensory neurons to oral behaviors crucial for survival in mammals.

Chronic Stress Induces Activity, Synaptic, and Transcriptional Remodeling of the Lateral Habenula Associated with Deficits in Motivated Behaviors

Chronic stress (CS) is a major risk factor for the development of depression. Here, we demonstrate that CS-induced hyperactivity in ventral tegmental area (VTA)-projecting lateral habenula (LHb) neurons is associated with increased passive coping (PC), but not anxiety or anhedonia. LHb→VTA neurons in mice with increased PC show increased burst and tonic firing as well as synaptic adaptations in excitatory inputs from the entopeduncular nucleus (EP). In vivo manipulations of EP→LHb or LHb→VTA neurons selectively alter PC and effort-related motivation. Conversely, dorsal raphe (DR)-projecting LHb neurons do not show CS-induced hyperactivity and are targeted indirectly by the EP. Using single-cell transcriptomics, we reveal a set of genes that can collectively serve as biomarkers to identify mice with increased PC and differentiate LHb→VTA from LHb→DR neurons. Together, we provide a set of biological markers at the level of genes, synapses, cells, and circuits that define a distinctive CS-induced behavioral phenotype.