title: Modulation of risk/reward decision making by dopaminergic transmission within the basolateral amygdala.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dopamine (DA) transmission within cortico-limbic-striatal circuitry is integral in modulating decisions involving reward uncertainty. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) also plays a role in these processes, yet how DA transmission within this nucleus regulates cost/benefit decision making is unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the contribution of DA transmission within the BLA to risk/reward decision making assessed with a probabilistic discounting task.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were well-trained to choose between a small/certain reward and a large/risky reward, with the probability of obtaining the larger reward decreasing (100-12.5 %) or increasing (12.5-100 %) over a session. We examined the effects of antagonizing BLA D1 (SCH 23390, 0.1-1 μg) or D2 (eticlopride, 0.1-1 μg) receptors, as well as intra-BLA infusions of agonists for D1 (SKF 81297, 0.1-1 μg) and D2 (quinpirole, 1-10 μg) receptors. We also assessed how DA receptor stimulation may induce differential effects related to baseline levels of risky choice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BLA D1 receptor antagonism reduced risky choice by decreasing reward sensitivity, whereas D2 antagonism did not affect overall choice patterns. Stimulation of BLA D1 receptors optimized decision making in a baseline-dependent manner: in risk-averse rats, infusions of a lower dose of SKF81297 increased risky choice when reward probabilities were high (50 %), whereas in risk-prone rats, this drug reduced risky choice when probabilities were low (12.5 %). Quinpirole reduced risky choice in risk-prone rats, enhancing lose-shift behavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data highlight previously uncharacterized roles for BLA DA D1 and D2 receptors in biasing choice during risk/reward decision making through mediation of reward/negative feedback sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Brain Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
authors.forename: Joshua D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Larkin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Brain Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
authors.forename: Nicole L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Jenni
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Brain Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada. floresco@psych.ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Stan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Floresco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D066272:Basolateral Nuclear Complex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003657:Decision Making / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1 / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism*; D012201:Reward; D012309:Risk-Taking; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D004298:Dopamine
keywords: Basolateral amygdala; Decision making; Dopamine; Probabilistic discounting; Rat; Risk