DORSAL RAPHE NUCLEUS CONTROLS MOTIVATIONAL STATE TRANSITIONS IN MONKEYS

The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) is an important source of serotonin in the brain but fundamental aspects of its function remain elusive. Here, we present a combination of minimally invasive recording and disruption studies to show that DRN brings about changes in motivation states. We use recently developed methods for identifying temporal patterns in behaviour to show that monkeys change their motivation depending on the availability of rewards in the environment. Distinctive patterns of DRN activity occur when monkeys transition between a high motivation state occupied when rewards are abundant, to a low motivation state engendered by reward scarcity. Disrupting DRN diminishes sensitivity to the reward environment and perturbs transitions in motivational states.