title: Nucleus accumbens medium spiny neurons target non-dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area.
abstract: The midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA) projection to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is implicated in motivation and reinforcement. A significant number of NAc medium spiny neurons (MSNs) project back to the VTA, although the nature of this projection is essentially unknown. For example, do NAc MSNs directly target accumbens-projecting dopamine neurons and do they act via the GABA(A) or GABA(B) receptor? To address these issues, we expressed the light-sensitive channel rhodopsin-2 in the rat NAc and made electrophysiological recordings from VTA neurons ex vivo. We found that the NAc directly targets non-dopaminergic VTA neurons, including some that project back to the NAc. These MSN GABAergic terminals are opioid sensitive and act via GABA(A) receptors.
authors: Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, Wheeler Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, and Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, Emeryville, California 94608, USA.
authors: Yanfang
authors: Y
authors: Xia
authors: Joseph R
authors: JR
authors: Driscoll
authors: Linda
authors: L
authors: Wilbrecht
authors: Elyssa B
authors: EB
authors: Margolis
authors: Howard L
authors: HL
authors: Fields
authors: Gregory O
authors: GO
authors: Hjelmstad
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