Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

DORSAL RAPHE NUCLEUS CONTROLS MOTIVATIONAL STATE TRANSITIONS IN MONKEYS

This study shows that the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) in monkeys influences transitions between high and low motivation states based on reward availability.

Pramipexole restores behavioral inhibition in highly impulsive rats through a paradoxical modulation of frontostriatal networks

This study shows pramipexole reduces impulsivity in highly impulsive rats by modulating frontostriatal networks, specifically through Zif268 mRNA downregulation in the nucleus accumbens core.

Cocaine sensitization in male rats requires activation of estrogen receptors

This study shows that estradiol, not DHT, is required for cocaine sensitization in male rats, highlighting its role in cocaine-induced neuroplasticity.

Neural signatures of opioid-induced risk-taking behavior in the prelimbic prefrontal cortex

This study identifies neural signatures in the prelimbic prefrontal cortex associated with opioid-induced risk-taking behavior using a novel conflict task and neuronal recordings in rats.

The role of prospective contingency in the control of behavior and dopamine signals during associative learning

This study investigates how dopamine signals in the ventral striatum relate to contingency during associative learning in mice, finding that TD learning models with ITI state representations explain the results better than contingency-based models.

Long-term impact of early life stress on serotonin connectivity

This study investigates how early life stress affects serotonin connectivity in mice, finding disruptions in brain-wide serotonin activity and anxiety-like behaviors in adulthood.

Serotonin drives aggression and social behaviours of laboratory mice in a semi-natural environment

This study investigates how serotonin deficiency affects aggression and social behaviors in mice using home cage monitoring and machine learning, revealing distinct behavioral patterns in Tph2-deficient mice.

Genetic disruption of dopamine β-hydroxylase dysregulates innate responses to predator odor in mice

This study shows that dopamine β-hydroxylase knockout in mice alters innate responses to predator odor, with reduced defensive burying and increased grooming, suggesting NE and DA balance regulates behavioral responses.

A translational rodent model of individual differences in sensitivity to the aversive properties of ethanol

This study develops a rodent model to investigate individual differences in ethanol's aversive effects, revealing two distinct phenotypes in both sexes.

Dynamic regulation of CeA gene expression during acute and protracted abstinence from chronic binge drinking of male and female C57BL/6J mice.

This study examines gene expression changes in the CeA of male and female mice during acute and protracted abstinence from binge drinking, revealing sex-specific differences in gene regulation.

Changes in reward-induced neural activity upon Cafeteria Diet consumption

This study examines how different regimes of cafeteria diet affect reward system activity in rats, finding reduced c-Fos expression in the NAc-shell but not in PFC or VTA.

Hypothalamic dopamine neuron activity is modulated by caloric states and amphetamine abuse in zebrafish larvae

This study examines how caloric states and amphetamine exposure affect dopamine neuron activity and their interconnections in zebrafish larvae.

Modulation of locomotion and motor neuron response by the cohesive effect of acute and chronic feeding states and acute d-amphetamine treatment in zebrafish larvae.

This study examines how different feeding schedules modulate the locomotor and motor neuron responses to d-amphetamine in zebrafish larvae.

Punishment resistance for cocaine is associated with inflexible habits in rats

This study shows that rats resistant to punishment for cocaine use show inflexible habitual behavior, while those sensitive to punishment show increased goal-directed control.

Cerebellum Directly Modulates the Substantia Nigra Dopaminergic Activity

This study demonstrates that cerebellar projections to the substantia nigra pars compacta form monosynaptic glutamatergic synapses that modulate dopamine levels and behavior.

Glutamate inputs send prediction error of reward but not negative value of aversive stimuli to dopamine neurons

The paper shows glutamate inputs to dopamine neurons signal reward prediction errors but not negative value of aversive stimuli, with opioid analgesics altering negative responses.

Decoupling Dopamine Synthesis from Impulsive Action, Risk-related Decision-Making, and Propensity to Cocaine Intake: A Longitudinal -FDOPA PET Study in Roman High- and Low-avoidance Rats

This study investigates the relationship between dopamine synthesis, impulsivity, and cocaine intake in rats, finding that dopamine synthesis does not predict impulsivity or cocaine vulnerability and is unaffected by chronic cocaine exposure.

Sensory cues potentiate VTA dopamine mediated reinforcement

The paper investigates how sensory cues enhance dopamine-mediated reinforcement using optogenetic ICSS in TH-cre rats, showing cues significantly potentiate self-stimulation behavior.

Context dependent contributions of the direct and indirect pathways in the associative and sensorimotor striatum

This study compares the effects of optogenetic activation or inhibition of direct and indirect striatal pathways in associative and sensorimotor striatum on action selection and locomotion.

Impact of Unc-51 Like Kinase 4 (ULK4) on the Reactivity of the Extended Reward System in Response to Conditioned Stimuli

This study examines how genetic variation in ULK4 affects brain activation in the reward system during a conditioned reward task, finding increased activation in specific brain regions for a particular variant.

A Reinforcement Learning Model with Choice Traces for a Progressive Ratio Schedule

The paper develops a reinforcement learning model to capture choice behavior during progressive ratio tasks, finding that the Perseverance model with choice traces best explains behavioral responses to drug effects.

DISCOVERY AND VALIDATION OF GENES DRIVING DRUG-INTAKE AND RELATED BEHAVIORAL TRAITS IN MICE

This study identifies and validates 22 genes that drive drug intake and related behavioral traits in mice through knockout screening and behavioral assays.

Alterations in type 2 dopamine receptors across neuropsychiatric conditions: A large-scale PET cohort

This study examines D2R availability in neuropsychiatric conditions using PET data from 437 individuals, finding reduced availability in Parkinson's disease and altered interregional connectivity in schizophrenia, depression, and violent behavior.

Non-Consummatory Behavior Signals Predict Aversion-Resistant Alcohol Drinking in Head-Fixed Mice

This study assesses aversion-resistant drinking in head-fixed mice and links non-consummatory behaviors to the intensity of this behavior.

Exploring distinct and joint contributions of the Locus Coeruleus and the Substantia Nigra/Ventral Tegmental Area complex to reward and valence processing using high-resolution fMRI

This study uses fMRI to investigate how the locus coeruleus and SN/VTA contribute to reward and valence processing in humans, finding distinct and joint roles in response to reward and negative valence.

Corticostriatal responses to social reward are linked to trait reward sensitivity and subclinical substance use in young adults

The paper examines how reward sensitivity and subclinical substance use relate to striatal function during social rewards, finding nuanced neural correlates linked to potential risk for substance use disorder.

Mapping functional traces of opioid memories in the rat brain

This study identifies brain circuits involved in opioid memory formation and relapse by analyzing functional connectivity in rats during drug-context associations.

Fluoxetine treatment during postnatal and juvenile temporal epochs evokes diametrically opposing changes in anxio-depressive behaviors, gene expression, mitochondrial function, and neuronal architecture in the medial prefrontal cortex

This study shows that fluoxetine treatment during postnatal or juvenile periods leads to opposing effects on anxiety-depressive behaviors, gene expression, mitochondrial function, and neuronal structure in adult rats.

Cilia loss on distinct neuron populations differentially alters cocaine-induced locomotion and reward

This study investigates how cilia loss in specific neuronal populations affects cocaine-induced locomotion and reward, finding cell- and drug-type-specific behavioral changes.

Morphine exposure during adolescence induces enduring social changes dependent on adolescent stage of exposure, sex, and social test

This study shows that morphine exposure during adolescence affects social behavior differently based on sex and the stage of exposure, with lasting effects on adult sociability.