Dopamine release in nucleus accumbens core during social behaviors in mice

Abstract

Social behaviors are among the most important and rewarding motivational behaviors. How dopamine, a "reward" signal, releases in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) during social behaviors has become a topic of interest for decades. However, limitations in early recording methods, such as microdialysis, prevented a complete understanding of moment-to-moment dopamine responses during social behaviors. Here, we employ a genetically encoded dopamine sensor, GRABDA2h, to record dopamine activity in the NAc core in mice and find acute changes in extracellular dopamine levels during all three phases of social behaviors: approach, investigation and consummation. Dopamine release during approach phase correlates with animals motivation towards the conspecific whereas its release during consummatory phase signals the valence of the experience. Furthermore, dopamine release during sexual and aggressive behaviors shows sex differences that correlate with the potential value of those experiences. Overall, our results reveal rich and temporally precise motivation and value information encoded by NAc dopamine during social behaviors and beyond.