Characterization of glutamatergic VTA neural population responses to aversive and rewarding conditioning in freely-moving mice

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review

17 Scopus Citations
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Author(s)

  • Quentin Montardy
  • Zheng Zhou
  • Xuemei Liu
  • Pengyu Zeng
  • Chen Chen
  • Yuanming Liu
  • Paula Sanz-Leon
  • Kang Huang
  • Liping Wang

Related Research Unit(s)

Detail(s)

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1167-1178
Journal / PublicationScience Bulletin
Volume64
Issue number16
Online published13 May 2019
Publication statusPublished - 30 Aug 2019

Link(s)

Abstract

The Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) is a midbrain structure known to integrate aversive and rewarding stimuli, but little is known about the role of VTA glutamatergic (VGluT2) neurons in these functions. Direct activation of VGluT2 soma evokes rewarding behaviors, while activation of their downstream projections evokes aversive behaviors. To facilitate our understanding of these conflicting properties, we recorded calcium signals from VTAVGluT2+ neurons using fiber photometry in VGluT2-cre mice to investigate how this population was recruited by aversive and rewarding stimulation, both during unconditioned and conditioned protocols. Our results revealed that, as a population, VTAVGluT2+ neurons responded similarly to unconditioned-aversive and unconditioned-rewarding stimulation. During aversive and rewarding conditioning, the CS-evoked responses gradually increased across trials whilst the US-evoked response remained stable. Retrieval 24 h after conditioning, during which mice received only CS presentation, resulted in VTAVGluT2+ neurons strongly responding to CS presentation and to the expected-US but only for aversive conditioning. To help understand these differences based on VTAVGluT2+ neuronal networks, the inputs and outputs of VTAVGluT2+ neurons were investigated using Cholera Toxin B (CTB) and rabies virus. Based on our results, we proposed that the divergent VTAVGluT2+ neuronal responses to aversion and reward conditioning may be partly due to the existence of VTAVGluT2+ subpopulations that are characterized by their connectivity.

Research Area(s)

  • Ventral Tegmental Area, Aversion, Reward, Conditioning, Behavior

Citation Format(s)

Characterization of glutamatergic VTA neural population responses to aversive and rewarding conditioning in freely-moving mice. / Montardy, Quentin; Zhou, Zheng; Lei, Zhuogui et al.
In: Science Bulletin, Vol. 64, No. 16, 30.08.2019, p. 1167-1178.

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review

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