Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Astrocytic HIV-1 Nef expression decreases glutamate transporter expression in the nucleus accumbens and increases cocaine-seeking behavior in rats

Dedifferentiation of caudate functional organization is linked to reduced D1 dopamine receptor availability and poorer memory function in aging

The paper investigates how reduced dopamine D1 receptor availability in aging is linked to decreased functional specificity in cortico-striatal circuits and poorer memory performance.

Pharmacological modulation of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors reveals distinct neural networks related to probabilistic learning in non-human primates.

This study examines the effects of D1 and D2 receptor antagonists on probabilistic learning and brain connectivity in macaques, revealing distinct neural networks associated with learning and motivation.

Transient dopamine response on medium spiny neuron subtypes in switching approach-avoidance outcomes against action bias - A framework for exploration in action selection

The paper proposes a framework to explain how transient dopamine signals can shift neural activity dominance between medium spiny neuron subtypes to enable adaptive decision-making against existing biases.

Investigating the Role of Glyoxalase 1 as a Therapeutic Target for Cocaine and Oxycodone Use Disorder

This study investigates whether GLO1 inhibition affects cocaine or oxycodone-induced locomotor activity and conditioned place preference, finding no significant effects.

Sex and genetic background influence intravenous oxycodone self-administration in the Hybrid Rat Diversity Panel

This study shows that sex and genetic background affect oxycodone self-administration in rats, with heritability estimates ranging from 0.25 to 0.54.

Generation and validation of a D1 dopamine receptor Flpo knock-in mouse

The paper generates and validates a Drd1-Flpo knock-in mouse line that expresses Flp recombinase specifically in D1DR+ neurons, enabling intersectional genetic studies of these neurons.

Periaqueductal gray passes over disappointment and signals continuity of remaining reward expectancy

The paper investigates how periaqueductal gray (PAG) activity modulates reward-seeking behavior by suppressing escape responses and promoting persistence during disappointment.

Serotonin system development and adult function are regulated by GDNF

This study shows that GDNF regulates serotonin system development and adult function, with excess GDNF linked to neuropsychiatric disorders.

Prefrontal cortex dopamine responds to the total valence of stimuli

This study shows that prefrontal cortex dopamine responds to the total valence of stimuli, not just net valence, using high-sensitivity fluorescence recordings.

Chronic High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) exercise in adolescent rat's result in cocaine place aversion and ΔFosB induction

This study shows that adolescent HIIT in rats reduces cocaine place preference and increases striatum ΔFosB, suggesting potential protective effects against cocaine abuse.

Neural circuit basis of adolescent THC-induced potentiation of opioid responses in adult mice

This study investigates how adolescent THC exposure affects adult morphine responses, finding increased reward and altered brain connectivity.

Dissociable control of motivation and reinforcement by distinct ventral striatal dopamine receptors

This paper identifies distinct roles of dopamine D3 and D1 receptors in regulating motivation and reinforcement in the nucleus accumbens, showing compartmentalized signaling within the same cell type.

Decreased voluntary alcohol intake and ventral striatal epigenetic and transcriptional remodeling in male Acss2 KO mice

This study shows that Acss2 knockout mice consume less alcohol and exhibit epigenetic and transcriptional changes in the ventral striatum, particularly in males.

Behavioral and genetic markers of susceptibility to escalate fentanyl intake.

This study investigates how behavioral traits and genetic markers relate to fentanyl intake escalation in rats, identifying gene networks and transcription factors associated with addiction-prone behaviors.

SK609, a novel dopamine D3 receptor agonist and norepinephrine transporter blocker with pro-cognitive actions, does not induce psychostimulant-like increases in risky choice during probabilistic discounting

This study compares the effects of SK609, a novel dopamine D3 receptor agonist and norepinephrine transporter blocker, with amphetamine and methylphenidate on risky choice behavior in a probabilistic discounting task.

Astrocytic Regulation of Cocaine Locomotor Sensitization in EcoHIV Infected Mice

This study shows that HIV infection enhances cocaine locomotor sensitization in mice and that activating astrocytic Gq signaling in the nucleus accumbens can reverse this effect.

Anxiety-like behaviors in mice unmasked: Revealing sex differences in anxiety using a novel light-heat conflict test

The paper introduces a novel TIDAL conflict test to assess sex differences in anxiety and heat sensitivity in mice, finding females exhibit stronger anxiety-like behaviors.

Striatal integration of inverse dopamine and serotonin signals gates learning

This study shows that integrating inverse dopamine and serotonin signals in the striatum is essential for associative learning.

Muscarinic receptors mediate motivation via preparatory neural activity in humans

This study shows that muscarinic receptors enhance motivation-related preparatory neural activity in humans, as evidenced by changes in reaction times and vigour during an incentivized task.

Compulsion derived from incentive cocaine-seeking habits is associated with a downregulation of the dopamine transporter in striatal astrocytes

The paper shows that cocaine exposure reduces dopamine transporter levels in striatal astrocytes, with compulsive cocaine-seeking habits linked to reduced DAT mRNA in the nucleus accumbens shell.

Noradrenergic alpha-2a Receptor Stimulation Enhances Prediction Error Signaling in Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Striatum

This study shows that stimulating 2A adrenoceptors with Guanfacine improves error-based learning and prediction error signaling in the anterior cingulate cortex and striatum of nonhuman primates.

Dopamine builds and reveals reward-associated latent behavioral attractors

The paper shows dopamine stabilizes reward-related neural attractors and guides behavior by activating them online in mice.

The Glutamatergic Projection from the Substantia Nigra Pars Reticulata to the Dorsal Raphe Nucleus Facilitates Social Hierarchy in Mice

This study identifies the role of SNr glutamatergic neurons in regulating social hierarchy in mice through optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulations.

The developing mouse dopaminergic system: Cortical-subcortical shift in D1/D2 receptor balance and increasing regional differentiation

This study quantifies D1 and D2 receptor cell densities in mouse forebrain across development, revealing a cortico-subcortical shift and sex differences in maturational patterns.

Midbrain dopamine D2R regulates the salience of threat-related events

This study investigates the role of dopamine D2 autoreceptors in regulating VTA dopamine neuron responses to aversive stimuli and finds they act as a regulatory brake with sex-biased effects on threat processing.

Decoding mesolimbic dopamine transmission in the olfactory tubercle and its contribution to methamphetamine responses through neurochemical sensing and chemogenetics

This study uses chemogenetics and fast-scan cyclic voltammetry to show that inhibiting VTA-DA neurons suppresses methamphetamine-induced dopamine transmission and its behavioral effects in rats.

Optogenetic Central Amygdala Stimulation is Highly Reinforcing and Strongly Outcompetes Fentanyl Self-Administration in Male, but not Female, Rats

Pavlovian cue-evoked alcohol seeking is disrupted by ventral pallidal inhibition

This study shows that inhibiting the ventral pallidum during alcohol cues reduces Pavlovian alcohol-seeking behavior in rats.

Medial prefrontal cortical neurotransmitters reactive to relapse-promoting and relapse-suppressing cues in rats trained to self-administer cocaine or alcohol

The paper identifies cue-specific neurotransmitter changes in the medial prefrontal cortex of rats during relapse-promoting and relapse-suppressing cues for cocaine or alcohol self-administration.