Basolateral amygdala neurons facilitate reward-seeking behavior by exciting nucleus accumbens neurons.
Both the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) contribute to learned behavioral choice. Neurons in both structures that encode reward-predictive cues may underlie the decision to respond to such cues, but the neural circuits by which the BLA influences reward-seeking behavior have not been established. Here, we test the hypothesis that the BLA drives NAc neuronal responses to reward-predictive cues. First, using a disconnection experiment, we show that the BLA and dopamine projections to the NAc interact to promote the reward-seeking behavioral response. Next, we demonstrate that BLA neuronal responses to cues precede those of NAc neurons and that cue-evoked excitation of NAc neurons depends on BLA input. These results indicate that BLA input is required for dopamine to enhance the cue-evoked firing of NAc neurons and that this enhanced firing promotes reward-seeking behavior.
Ambroggi
Frederic
F
Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, and Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA.
Ishikawa
Akinori
A
Fields
Howard L
HL
Nicola
Saleem M
SM