Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Chst9 Marks a Spatially and Transcriptionally Unique Population of Oprm1-Expressing Neurons in the Nucleus Accumbens

The paper identifies a novel population of Oprm1-expressing neurons in the NAc marked by Chst9 expression, showing spatial and transcriptional distinctiveness across species.

EcoHIV Infection Modulates the Effects of Cocaine Exposure Pattern and Abstinence on Cocaine Seeking and Neuroimmune Protein Expression in Male Mice

This study investigates how HIV infection affects cocaine craving and neuroimmune responses in mice, showing differential effects based on cocaine exposure patterns and abstinence duration.

Cholinergic interneurons in the nucleus accumbens are a site of cellular convergence for corticotropin release factor and estrogen regulation

The paper investigates how estrogen and corticotropin releasing factor regulate cholinergic interneurons in the nucleus accumbens, finding sex-specific mRNA expression patterns and interactions.

Rebound activation of 5-HT neurons following SSRI discontinuation

This study shows that stopping SSRIs like paroxetine leads to increased 5-HT activity in the brain, causing anxiety-like behaviors and changes in neurotransmitter levels.

Sex differences in oxycodone-taking behaviors are linked to disruptions in reward-guided, decision-making functions

The paper investigates sex differences in oxycodone-taking behaviors in rats, finding that impaired reward-guided decision-making is linked to increased opioid use and addiction-related behaviors in females.

Accumbens Nitrergic Interneurons Drive the Cell Type-Specific Synaptic Plasticity Required for Cue-Induced Cocaine Seeking

This paper identifies nitrergic interneurons as key mediators of cue-induced synaptic plasticity in D1 MSNs required for cocaine seeking, showing that targeting nNOS or mGluR5 blocks relapse.

D2/D3 dopamine supports the precision of mental state inferences and self-relevance of joint social outcomes

This study investigates how dopamine D2/D3 antagonism affects mental state inference and self-relevance of social outcomes using a game-theoretic paradigm and computational model.

Sex similarities and dopaminergic differences in interval timing

The paper investigates sex differences in interval timing across humans and rodents, finding no sex differences in timing accuracy or precision but distinct dopaminergic effects in males.

Encoding and context-dependent control of reward consumption within the central nucleus of the amygdala

This study investigates how the central amygdala encodes and controls reward consumption in rats, showing that optogenetic stimulation enhances intake of preferred rewards but not less-preferred ones.

Serotonin signaling in hippocampus during initial cocaine abstinence drives persistent drug seeking

This study shows that blocking serotonin signaling in the dorsal hippocampus during initial cocaine abstinence reduces persistent drug seeking.

Tmod2 is a regulator of cocaine responses through control of striatal and cortical excitability, and drug-induced plasticity

This study identifies Tmod2 as a regulator of cocaine-induced plasticity and addiction-related behaviors through effects on neuronal excitability and synaptic function.

The effect of corticosterone on the acquisition of Pavlovian conditioned approach behavior is dependent on sex and vendor

This study examines how corticosterone affects sign- and goal-tracking behaviors in male and female rats from different vendors, finding sex- and vendor-dependent effects on acquisition but not expression.

Dorsomedial Striatal Glutamatergic Transmission Inhibits Binge Drinking in Selectively Bred Crossed High Alcohol Preferring Mice

The paper investigates the role of dorsomedial striatal glutamatergic transmission in limiting binge drinking in cHAP mice, finding that DMS glutamatergic activity reduces alcohol consumption.

Maturation of prefrontal input to dorsal raphe nucleus increases behavioral persistence in mice

This study shows that maturation of prefrontal cortex to dorsal raphe nucleus projections in mice enhances behavioral persistence, as demonstrated by optogenetic stimulation and genetic ablation experiments.

Dissociable Roles of the mPFC-to-VTA Pathway in the Control of Impulsive Action and Risk-Related Decision-Making in Roman High- and Low-Avoidance Rats.

The paper investigates the role of the mPFC-to-VTA pathway in impulsive action and risk-related decision-making in rats, finding it modulates impulsive action but not decision-making.

Transcriptional characterization of cocaine withdrawal versus extinction within nucleus accumbens

The paper compares gene expression in the nucleus accumbens during cocaine withdrawal and extinction in rats, identifying distinct transcriptional patterns associated with different behavioral outcomes.

Cortico-striatal action control inherent of opponent cognitive-motivational styles

The paper investigates cortico-striatal control of action selection in rats with different cognitive-motivational styles, finding differences in glutamate release patterns during cued turns.

Chronic Ethanol Exposure Produces Persistent Impairment in Cognitive Flexibility and Decision Signals in the Striatum

This study shows chronic ethanol exposure impairs cognitive flexibility and striatal decision signals in male rats, with specific changes in neural representations of actions and outcomes.

Medial prefrontal dopamine dynamics reflect allocation of selective attention

This study uses a fluorescent dopamine sensor to show that medial prefrontal cortex dopamine dynamics reflect selective attention, responding to both appetitive and aversive stimuli and preceding behavioral engagement.

Effects of dopamine and opioid receptor antagonism on the neural processing of social and non-social rewards

This study investigates how dopamine and opioid receptor antagonism affect neural processing of social and non-social rewards using functional neuroimaging and pharmacological interventions.

Transcriptional signatures in the rat medial prefrontal cortex associated with vulnerability and resilience across distinct phases of opioid use disorder

Two distinct neuronal populations in the rat parafascicular nucleus oppositely encode the engagement in stimulus-driven reward-seeking

The paper identifies two distinct neuronal populations in the rat parafascicular nucleus that encode reward-seeking behavior differently based on stimulus engagement.

Estrogen signaling in the dorsal raphe regulates binge-like drinking in mice

This study shows that estrogen signaling through ER and ERβ in 5-HTDRN neurons influences binge drinking behavior in mice, with ER agonists reducing alcohol-induced neuronal activity and binge drinking.

CaMKIIa+ neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis modulate pace of natural reward seeking depending on internal state

This study investigates how CaMKIIa+ neurons in the BNST modulate natural reward seeking behaviors, showing their role in regulating sexual behavior and sucrose self-administration based on internal state.

Dopamine projections to the basolateral amygdala drive the encoding of identity-specific reward memories

This study identifies that dopamine projections from the ventral tegmental area to the basolateral amygdala are necessary and sufficient for encoding identity-specific reward memories in rats.

Male and female variability in response to chronic stress and morphine in C57BL/6J, DBA/2J, and their BXD progeny

The paper investigates genetic and sex differences in stress and morphine responses across mouse strains and their progeny, finding genetic influences on stress vulnerability and morphine sensitivity.

Attenuated incubation of ethanol-induced conditioned taste aversion in a model of dependence

This study examines whether chronic ethanol exposure leads to tolerance of ethanol's aversive effects in rats, finding instead that it reduces the development of conditioned taste aversion over time.

Evidence for a role of 5-HT-glutamate co-releasing neurons in acute stress mechanisms

This study investigates the role of 5-HT-glutamate co-releasing neurons in stress response using genetic and behavioral experiments in mice.

NAPE-PLD in the ventral tegmental area regulates reward events, feeding and energy homeostasis

This paper investigates the role of NAPE-PLD in the ventral tegmental area, showing its impact on reward behaviors, feeding, and energy homeostasis through transcriptomic analysis and genetic manipulations.

Dynamics of striatal action selection and reinforcement learning

The paper resolves a contradiction between striatal reinforcement learning models and SPN synaptic plasticity by showing that iSPN plasticity hinders learning but can be reversed by simultaneous activation of dSPN and iSPN.