title: Serotonin modulates glutamatergic transmission to neurons in the lateral habenula.
abstract: The lateral habenula (LHb) is bilaterally connected with serotoninergic raphe nuclei, and expresses high density of serotonin receptors. However, actions of serotonin on the excitatory synaptic transmission to LHb neurons have not been thoroughly investigated. The LHb contains two anatomically and functionally distinct regions: lateral (LHbl) and medial (LHbm) divisions. We compared serotonin's effects on glutamatergic transmission across the LHb in rat brains. Serotonin bi-directionally and differentially modulated glutamatergic transmission. Serotonin inhibited glutamatergic transmission in higher percentage of LHbl neurons but potentiated in higher percentage of LHbm neurons. Magnitude of potentiation was greater in LHbm than in LHbl. Type 2 and 3 serotonin receptor antagonists attenuated serotonin's potentiation. The serotonin reuptake blocker, and the type 2 and 3 receptor agonists facilitated glutamatergic transmission in both LHbl and LHbm neurons. Thus, serotonin via activating its type 2, 3 receptors, increased glutamate release at nerve terminals in some LHb neurons. Our data demonstrated that serotonin affects both LHbm and LHbl. Serotonin might play an important role in processing information between the LHb and its downstream-targeted structures during decision-making. It may also contribute to a homeostatic balance underlying the neural circuitry between the LHb and raphe nuclei.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: Guiqin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: Wanhong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: Liangzhi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: Wenting
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bekker
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: Jiang-Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ye
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D019262:Habenula / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D044348:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT2 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D044406:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D018698:Glutamic Acid; D044348:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT2; D044406:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3; D012701:Serotonin; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors