title: Dopaminergic neurons promote hippocampal reactivation and spatial memory persistence.
abstract: We found that optogenetic burst stimulation of hippocampal dopaminergic fibers from midbrain neurons in mice exploring novel environments enhanced the reactivation of pyramidal cell assemblies during subsequent sleep/rest. When applied during spatial learning of new goal locations, dopaminergic photostimulation improved the later recall of neural representations of space and stabilized memory performance. These findings reveal that midbrain dopaminergic neurons promote hippocampal network dynamics associated with memory persistence.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Colin G
authors.identifier: 0000000182669266
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: McNamara
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Álvaro
authors.identifier: 0000000287684227
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Tejero-Cantero
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trouche
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Campo-Urriza
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dupret
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D011897:Random Allocation; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D065852:Spatial Memory / Q000502:physiology*