scholarly journals Motivated Behaviors and Levels of 3α,5α-THP in the Midbrain Are Attenuated by Knocking Down Expression of Pregnane Xenobiotic Receptor in the Midbrain Ventral Tegmental Area of Proestrous Rats

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1692-1706 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl Anne Frye ◽  
Carolyn J. Koonce ◽  
Alicia A. Walf ◽  
Jamie C. Rusconi
Keyword(s):  
Ventral Tegmental Area ◽  
Ventral Tegmental ◽  
Xenobiotic Receptor ◽  
Motivated Behaviors

scholarly journals Neurochemical signaling of reward and aversion by ventral tegmental area glutamate neurons

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dillon J. McGovern ◽  
Abigail M. Polter ◽  
David H. Root
Keyword(s):  
Ventral Tegmental Area ◽  
Neuronal Activity ◽  
Optical Sensors ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
Neurochemical Mechanisms ◽  
Motivated Behavior ◽  
Ventral Tegmental ◽  
Motivated Behaviors

Ventral tegmental area (VTA) glutamate neurons signal and participate in reward and aversion-based behaviors. However, the neurochemical mechanisms that underlie how these neurons participate in diverse motivated behaviors is unknown. We used a combination of optical sensors to identify how distinct neurochemical inputs to VTA glutamate neurons participate in motivated behavior. Glutamate inputs to VTA glutamate neurons increased for both reward- and aversion-predicting cues and aversive outcomes, but subpopulations of glutamate inputs were increased or decreased by reward. For all cues and outcomes, GABA inputs to VTA glutamate neurons decreased and GCaMP-measured neuronal activity increased. GCaMP recordings also showed that VTA glutamate neuronal activity discriminated between the omission and receipt of an expected reward, but glutamate and GABA inputs to these neurons did not. Electro-physiological recordings in coordination with our sensor data suggest that glutamate inputs, but not GABA inputs, principally regulate VTA glutamate neuron participation in diverse motivated behaviors.

scholarly journals Contribution of growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) signaling in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the regulation of social motivation in male mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Su-Bin Park ◽  
Samantha King ◽  
David MacDonald ◽  
Anne Wilson ◽  
Harry MacKay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Hormone ◽  
Ventral Tegmental Area ◽  
Social Motivation ◽  
Male Mice ◽  
Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor ◽  
Social Approach ◽  
Growth Hormone Secretagogue ◽  
Ghrelin Receptor ◽  
Ventral Tegmental ◽  
Motivated Behaviors

AbstractMost psychiatric disorders are characterized by deficits in the ability to interact socially with others. Ghrelin, a hormone normally associated with the regulation of glucose utilization and appetite, is also implicated in the modulation of motivated behaviors including those associated with food and sex rewards. Here we hypothesized that deficits in ghrelin receptor (growth hormone secretagogue receptor; GHSR) signaling are also associated with deficits in social motivation in male mice. To test this hypothesis, we compared social motivation in male mice lacking GHSR or mice treated with the GHSR antagonist JMV2959 with that of WT or vehicle-treated mice. GHSR signaling in dopamine cells of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) has been implicated in the control of sexual behavior, thus we further hypothesized that GHSR signaling in the VTA is important for social motivation. Thus, we conducted studies where we delivered JMV2959 to block GHSR in the VTA of mice, and studies where we rescued the expression of GHSR in the VTA of GHSR knockout (KO) mice. Mice lacking GHSR or injected with JMV2959 peripherally for 3 consecutive days displayed lower social motivation as reflected by a longer latency to approach a novel conspecific and shorter interaction time compared to WT or vehicle-treated controls. Furthermore, intra-VTA infusion of JMV2959 resulted in longer latencies to approach a novel conspecific, whereas GHSR KO mice with partial rescue of the GHSR showed decreased latencies to begin a novel social interaction. Together, these data suggest that GHSR in the VTA facilitate social approach in male mice, and GHSR-signaling deficits within the VTA result in reduced motivation to interact socially.

scholarly journals Precise Coordination of 3-dimensional Rotational Kinematics by Ventral Tegmental Area GABAergic Neurons

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan N. Hughes ◽  
Glenn D.R. Watson ◽  
Elijah Petter ◽  
Namsoo Kim ◽  
Konstantin I. Bakhurin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ventral Tegmental Area ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
3 Dimensional ◽  
Rotational Kinematics ◽  
Cell Groups ◽  
Midbrain Region ◽  
Ventral Tegmental ◽  
Motivated Behaviors

SummaryThe Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) is a midbrain region implicated in a variety of motivated behaviors. However, the function of VTA GABAergic (Vgat+) neurons remains poorly understood. Here, using 3D motion capture, in vivo electrophysiology and calcium imaging, and optogenetics, we demonstrate a novel function of VTAVgat+ neurons. We found three distinct populations of neurons, each representing head angle about a principal axis of rotation: pitch, roll, and yaw. For each axis, opponent cell groups were found that increase firing when the head moves in one direction, and decrease firing in the opposite direction. Selective excitation and inhibition of VTAVgat+ neurons generate opposite rotational movements. The relationship between these neurons and head angle is degraded only at the time of reward consumption, at which point all head-angle related neuronal subpopulations show indistinguishable reward-related responses. Thus, VTAVgat+ neurons serve a critical role in the control of rotational kinematics while pursuing a moving target. This general-purpose steering function can guide animals toward desired spatial targets in any motivated behavior.

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