title: Chemogenetic Activation of Midbrain Dopamine Neurons Affects Attention, but not Impulsivity, in the Five-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task in Rats.
abstract: Attentional impairments and exaggerated impulsivity are key features of psychiatric disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, and addiction. These deficits in attentional performance and impulsive behaviors have been associated with aberrant dopamine (DA) signaling, but it remains unknown whether these deficits result from enhanced DA neuronal activity in the midbrain. Here, we took a novel approach by testing the impact of chemogenetically activating DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) or substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) on attention and impulsivity in the five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) in rats. We found that activation of DA neurons in both the VTA and SNc impaired attention by increasing trial omissions. In addition, SNc DA neuron activation decreased attentional accuracy. Surprisingly, enhanced DA neuron activity did not affect impulsive action in this task. These results show that enhanced midbrain DA neuronal activity induces deficits in attentional performance, but not impulsivity. Furthermore, DA neurons in the VTA and SNc have different roles in regulating attention. These findings contribute to our understanding of the neural substrates underlying attention deficits and impulsivity, and provide valuable insights to improve treatment of these symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Linde
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boekhoudt
authors.affiliation: Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elisa S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Voets
authors.affiliation: Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.|Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jacques P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Flores-Dourojeanni
authors.affiliation: Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mieneke Cm
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Luijendijk
authors.affiliation: Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Louk Jmj
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Vanderschuren
authors.affiliation: Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Roger Ah
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Adan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D015198:Designer Drugs; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D055647:Rats, Transgenic; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000502:physiology*; D017557:Ventral Tegmental Area / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015198:Designer Drugs