Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Differences in drug intake levels (high versus low takers) do not necessarily imply distinct drug user types: insights from a new cluster-based model

The paper uses a cluster-based model to show that high and low drug takers do not represent distinct user types based on cocaine intake levels.

SELECTIVE ACTIVATION OF GIRK POTASSIUM CHANNELS REDUCES BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN RESPONSES TO ETHANOL IN MICE

This study shows that activating GIRK channels with GiGA1 reduces ethanol reward and intake in mice, suggesting it as a potential treatment for AUD.

The gut-brain vagal axis governs mesolimbic dopamine dynamics and reward events

This study investigates how the gut-brain vagal axis influences mesolimbic dopamine dynamics and reward behaviors, challenging the traditional brain-centric view of reward processing.

Valence-specific ensembles in the laterodorsal tegmentum encode salient stimuli and modulate motivated behavior

The paper identifies valence-specific neuronal ensembles in the laterodorsal tegmentum that encode salient stimuli and modulate motivated behavior through optogenetic reactivation.

Fentanyl reinforcement history has sex-specific effects on multi-step decision-making

This study shows chronic fentanyl reinforcement promotes habit formation in rats, with sex-specific effects on decision-making and perseveration during reward seeking.

Dissociable neuronal substrates for positive and negative valence stimuli in the nucleus accumbens

The paper identifies distinct neuronal ensembles in the nucleus accumbens activated by cocaine and foot shock, showing different functional roles in reward and aversion.

Neurochemical imaging reveals changes in dopamine dynamics with photoperiod in a seasonally social vole species

The paper uses near-infrared catecholamine nanosensors to study dopamine dynamics in meadow voles under different photoperiods, finding increased dopamine release and responsiveness in social voles.

Ventral pallidal perineuronal nets regulate opioid relapse

This study shows that perineuronal nets in the ventral pallidum regulate opioid relapse by modulating VPPV neuron activity and synaptic plasticity.

An anatomical hotspot for striatal dopamine-acetylcholine interactions during reward and movement

The paper identifies an anatomical hotspot in the anterior dorsolateral striatum where dopamine and acetylcholine interactions are spatially organized and influence behaviorally relevant dynamics during reward and movement.

Dopamine supports reward prediction to shape reward-pursuit strategy

The paper investigates how dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens core is shaped by reward prediction and influences reward-pursuit strategies in rats.

The serotonin 1B receptor modulates striatal activity differentially based on behavioral context

This study investigates how the serotonin 1B receptor modulates striatal activity in mice during goal-directed behavior and impulsivity tasks, showing context-dependent effects on calcium responses in medium spiny neurons.

Optogenetically Evoked Accumbal Dopamine Transients Are Sufficient to Drive Locomotor Sensitization and Cross-Sensitization to Cocaine

This study shows that repeated optogenetic activation of dopamine neurons induces locomotor sensitization and cross-sensitization to cocaine, demonstrating dopamine's role in behavioral plasticity.

Dopamine signatures of excessive and compulsive cocaine and fentanyl use

The paper examines dopamine dynamics during cocaine and fentanyl self-administration in mice, identifying distinct patterns and developing a computational model to explain compulsive behavior.

Long-term Effects of Early Life Adversity On Brain Dopamine and Serotonin Receptor Systems Involved In Cocaine Reinforcement In Adult Macaques: a Positron Emission Tomography study

This study investigates the long-term effects of early life adversity on serotonin and dopamine receptor systems in adult macaques, finding persistent 5HT receptor changes and associations with cocaine self-administration outcomes.

Incentive Salience, not Psychomotor Sensitization or Tolerance, Drives Escalation of Cocaine Self-Administration in Heterogeneous Stock Rats

The paper identifies incentive salience as the driver of cocaine self-administration escalation in rats, showing individual differences in pre-lever activity predict long-term intake.

Striatal Acetylcholine Dip-Rebound Is Induced by Direct Pathway Neurons and Encodes Action-Outcome Contingency

The paper shows that direct pathway neurons in the striatum induce an acetylcholine dip-rebound that encodes action-outcome contingency during learning.

Cocaine and caffeine elicit different dopamine receptor-mediated locomotor activity profiles: insights from a new model.

The paper develops a new QSCAn model to differentiate dopamine receptor-mediated locomotor activity from cocaine and caffeine in rats, showing it outperforms existing methods.

Restoration of Rapid-Eye Movement Sleep During Cocaine Abstinence Reduces Incubation of Cocaine Seeking and Normalizes Dopamine Transporter Function

Inter-individual variability of neurotransmitter receptor and transporter density in the human brain

This study quantifies inter-individual variability in PET-estimated receptor and transporter density across 12 neurotransmitter systems in the human brain.

Dopamine Accumulation Dynamics Control Time Perception

The paper investigates how dopamine accumulation dynamics influence time perception in mice, finding that temporal accumulation rates, not absolute levels, determine time estimation.

Disrupting astrocyte signalling in the nucleus accumbens impairs incentive-driven instrumental actions

This study shows that disrupting astrocyte signaling in the nucleus accumbens impairs instrumental actions driven by general arousal but not by specific outcome expectations.

Novel model combining intrinsic and learned behaviours captures divergent effects of dopaminergic drugs on different types of motivation

This paper develops a hybrid model combining intrinsic and learned behaviours to explain how dopaminergic drugs affect motivation in complex foraging tasks.

Inactivation of NMDAR and CaMKII signaling within the prelimbic cortex blocks incubated cocaine- and sucrose-craving

This study shows that blocking NMDAR and CaMKII signaling in the prelimbic cortex prevents incubated cocaine- and sucrose-craving in rats.

Effects of acute adolescent stress on the acquisition and maintenance of intravenous oxycodone self-administration in male and female rats

This study shows that acute adolescent stress in rats increases oxycodone reinforcement without affecting acquisition or sucrose reinforcement.

Dorsal striatal dopamine integrates sensory and reward prediction errors to guide perceptual decisions

This study shows dopamine in the dorsal striatum encodes both sensory and reward prediction errors during perceptual decisions, with distinct but overlapping signals.

Validating molecular target-enriched fMRI for disentangling drug effects on dopamine

The paper validates the REACT method for isolating dopamine-specific effects of methylphenidate on brain function using fMRI and PET data.

Brain serotonin circuit reverses decline in physical activity with age

The paper identifies a brain serotonin circuit that contributes to age-related decline in physical activity and shows it can be reversed by targeting specific receptors.

Dopamine drives a positive reward bias on human reinforcement learning

This study investigates how dopamine affects reinforcement learning in humans using L-DOPA and finds it reduces switching after low rewards and influences learning rate and precision.

Dual cholinergic mechanisms for sculpting striatal dopamine in vivo

The paper identifies two distinct cholinergic mechanisms for modulating striatal dopamine release in vivo, revealing a fast monosynaptic and a slower polysynaptic pathway.

Presence of an unfamiliar peer reverses escalated cocaine intake in male rats: involvement of the subthalamic nucleus

This study shows that the presence of an unfamiliar peer reduces cocaine intake in male rats, with the subthalamic nucleus mediating this effect during both short and long-access sessions.