title: Functionally Distinct Dopamine Signals in Nucleus Accumbens Core and Shell in the Freely Moving Rat.
abstract: Dynamic signaling of mesolimbic dopamine (DA) neurons has been implicated in reward learning, drug abuse, and motivation. However, this system is complex because firing patterns of these neurons are heterogeneous; subpopulations receive distinct synaptic inputs, and project to anatomically and functionally distinct downstream targets, including the nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell and core. The functional roles of these cell populations and their real-time signaling properties in freely moving animals are unknown. Resolving the real-time DA signal requires simultaneous knowledge of the synchronized activity of DA cell subpopulations and assessment of the down-stream functional effect of DA release. Because this is not yet possible solely by experimentation in vivo, we combine computational modeling and fast-scan cyclic voltammetry data to reconstruct the functionally relevant DA signal in DA neuron subpopulations projecting to the NAc core and shell in freely moving rats. The approach provides a novel perspective on real-time DA neuron firing and concurrent activation of presynaptic autoreceptors and postsynaptic targets. We first show that individual differences in DA release arise from differences in autoreceptor feedback. The model predicts that extracellular DA concentrations in NAc core result from constant baseline DA firing, whereas DA concentrations in NAc shell reflect highly dynamic firing patters, including synchronized burst firing and pauses. Our models also predict that this anatomical difference in DA signaling is exaggerated by intravenous infusion of cocaine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Orchestrated signaling from mesolimbic dopamine (DA) neurons is important for initiating appropriate behavior in response to salient stimuli. Thus, subpopulations of mesolimbic DA neurons show different in vitro properties and synaptic inputs depending on their specific projections to the core and shell subterritories of the nucleus accumbens (NAc). However, the functional consequence of these differences is unknown. Here we analyze and model DA dynamics in different areas of the NAc to establish the real-time DA signal. In freely behaving animals, we find that the DA signal from mesencephalic neurons projecting to the NAc shell is dominated by synchronized bursts and pauses, whereas signaling is uniform for core-projecting neurons; this difference is amplified by cocaine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark, jakobdr@sund.ku.dk.
authors.forename: Jakob K
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7058-3331
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Dreyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139.
authors.forename: Caitlin M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Vander Weele
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Albertan T2N 1N4, Canada, and.
authors.forename: Vedran
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109.
authors.forename: Brandon J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Aragona
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008959:Models, Neurological; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004298:Dopamine
keywords: D1-receptor; D2-receptor; autoreceptor; fast-scan cyclic voltammetry; raclopride; uptake inhibition