title: Disruption of NMDAR-dependent burst firing by dopamine neurons provides selective assessment of phasic dopamine-dependent behavior.
abstract: Midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons fire in 2 characteristic modes, tonic and phasic, which are thought to modulate distinct aspects of behavior. However, the inability to selectively disrupt these patterns of activity has hampered the precise definition of the function of these modes of signaling. Here, we addressed the role of phasic DA in learning and other DA-dependent behaviors by attenuating DA neuron burst firing and subsequent DA release, without altering tonic neural activity. Disruption of phasic DA was achieved by selective genetic inactivation of NMDA-type, ionotropic glutamate receptors in DA neurons. Disruption of phasic DA neuron activity impaired the acquisition of numerous conditioned behavioral responses, and dramatically attenuated learning about cues that predicted rewarding and aversive events while leaving many other DA-dependent behaviors unaffected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Larry S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Zweifel
authors.forename: Jones G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Collin J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lobb
authors.forename: Aundrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rainwater
authors.forename: Valerie Z
authors.initials: VZ
authors.lastname: Wall
authors.forename: Jonathan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Fadok
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Darvas
authors.forename: Min J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sheri J Y
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Mizumori
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Paladini
authors.forename: Paul E M
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Palmiter