Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Effects of sex and estrous cycle on intravenous oxycodone self-administration and the reinstatement of oxycodone-seeking behavior in rats

This study examines sex and estrous cycle effects on oxycodone self-administration and reinstatement in rats, finding no sex differences but estrous cycle-dependent changes in reinforcing efficacy in females.

High fat diet allows food-predictive stimuli to energize action performance in the absence of hunger, without distorting insulin signaling on accumbal cholinergic interneurons.

Chronic Alcohol Drinking Drives Sex-Specific Differences in Affective Behavior and Medial Prefrontal Cortex Activity in CRF1:Cre:Tdtomato Transgenic Rats

This study examines how chronic alcohol drinking affects sex-specific affective behavior and medial prefrontal cortex activity in CRF1:Cre:Tdtomato transgenic rats, finding that alcohol intake correlates with anxiety and depressive-like behaviors and CRF1 neuron activity.

Mitofusin-2 in nucleus accumbens D2-MSNs regulates social dominance and neuronal function

This study shows that Mfn2 in NAc D2-MSNs regulates social dominance and neuronal function, while D1-MSNs show transient effects on competitiveness.

Drug Reinforcement Impairs Cognitive Flexibility by Inhibiting Striatal Cholinergic Neurons

This paper shows that drug reinforcement impairs cognitive flexibility by inhibiting striatal cholinergic interneurons through enhanced inhibitory transmission from direct-pathway medium spiny neurons.

A mesocorticolimbic signature of pleasure in the human brain

This study identifies a human brain signature of pleasure using fMRI, showing it is sensitive to pleasant tastes and humor, and linked to opioid receptor activity.

Fundamental Sex Differences in Cocaine-Induced Plasticity of D1- and D2-MSNs in the Mouse Nucleus Accumbens Shell

This study shows sex differences in cocaine-induced plasticity in D1- and D2-MSNs of the mouse nucleus accumbens shell, with males showing reduced D1-MSN excitability and females showing increased D2-MSN excitability.

Doing what's not wanted: Conflict in incentives and misallocation of behavioural control lead to drug-seeking despite adverse outcomes

The paper models cognitive conflict in addiction by proposing an algorithmic framework that explains how drug-seeking persists despite negative outcomes.

Neurobehavioral precursors of compulsive cocaine-seeking in dual fronto-striatal circuits

The paper identifies neurobehavioral markers in rats that predict future compulsive cocaine seeking behavior through pre-existing functional and structural brain changes.

Ventral pallidal GABAergic neuron calcium activity encodes cue-driven reward-seeking and persists in the absence of reward delivery

The paper investigates how VP GABA neurons encode reward-seeking behavior through calcium activity in response to cues and reward expectation in rats.

Transcriptional signatures of heroin intake and seeking throughout the brain reward circuit

This study identifies transcriptional changes in the brain reward circuit across heroin exposure and seeking behaviors in mice, revealing molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets for opioid use disorder.

Circuit and cell-specific contributions to decision making involving risk of explicit punishment in male and female rats.

The paper investigates the neural circuits and cell-specific contributions to risk-taking behavior in male and female rats during decision-making tasks involving punishment.

Cholinergic Interneurons Drive Motivation by Promoting Dopamine Release in the Nucleus Accumbens

This study shows that cholinergic interneurons in the nucleus accumbens drive dopamine release, influencing motivated behavior in rats.

Identifying Neural Signatures of Dopamine Signaling with Machine Learning

This study uses machine learning to distinguish dopamine modulation features between neuroanatomical regions and stimulation strengths in adult animals, finding unique predictive features not detectable by conventional analysis.

Intermittent cocaine self-administration has sex-specific effects on addiction-like behaviors in rats

This study examines sex-specific effects of intermittent cocaine self-administration on addiction-like behaviors in rats, finding increased motivation in females and compulsive behavior in males.

Activation of trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) transiently reduces alcohol drinking in socially housed mice

This study shows that activating TAAR1 reduces alcohol consumption in mice, suggesting it as a potential target for treating alcohol abuse.

Alcohol inhibits sociability via serotonin inputs to the nucleus accumbens

This study shows chronic alcohol exposure increases social avoidance in male mice by enhancing serotonergic inputs to the nucleus accumbens, which inhibits dopamine release and reduces social motivation.

Dopamine D2 receptors in nucleus accumbens cholinergic interneurons increase impulsive choice

This study shows that increasing dopamine D2 receptors in nucleus accumbens cholinergic interneurons increases impulsive choice in mice, while reducing them decreases impulsive choice.

A multivariate regressor of patterned dopamine release predicts relapse to cocaine

The paper develops a predictive model of cocaine relapse using dopamine release patterns and sex, showing that these factors predict relapse and extinction resistance.

Ventral pallidum projections to the ventral tegmental area reinforce but do not invigorate reward-seeking behavior

This study investigates the role of ventral pallidum to ventral tegmental area neurons in reward-seeking behavior, finding they reinforce but do not invigorate reward-seeking.

Uncertain, intermittent access to reward promotes increased reward pursuit

This study shows that unpredictable, intermittent reward access increases reward-seeking behavior in rats, suggesting implications for addiction modeling.

Overlapping representations of food and social stimuli in VTA dopamine neurons

The paper shows that VTA dopamine neurons respond to both food and social stimuli, with overlapping populations and increased overlap under hunger or social experience.

Endocytic down-regulation of the striatal dopamine transporter by amphetamine in sensitized mice in sex-dependent manner

This study shows that amphetamine induces sex-dependent endocytic down-regulation of the dopamine transporter in sensitized mice, with effects observed in the nucleus accumbens but not the dorsal striatum.

Effects of junk-food on food-motivated behavior and NAc glutamate plasticity; insights into the mechanism of NAc calcium-permeable AMPA receptor recruitment

This study examines how junk-food diets affect food-motivated behavior and NAc glutamate plasticity in obesity-prone and resistant rats, identifying mechanisms of CP-AMPAR recruitment.

Generalized habitual tendencies in alcohol dependent rats

This study shows that alcohol-dependent rats show increased habitual behavior towards a sweet reward in two tasks, and DMS inactivation in non-dependent rats also increases habitual behavior.

Dopamine in the Dorsal Bed Nucleus of Stria Terminalis signals Pavlovian sign-tracking and reward violations

This study examines dopamine signaling in the dorsal bed nucleus of the stria terminalis during Pavlovian learning and reward violations, revealing strategy-dependent patterns of dopamine responses.

Reward-Bases: Dopaminergic Mechanisms for Adaptive Acquisition of Multiple Reward Types

The paper proposes a temporal difference model that explains how dopamine neurons encode different reward dimensions and adapts behavior based on physiological needs.

The pleiotropic contribution of genes in dopaminergic and serotonergic pathways to addiction, aggression, and related behavioural traits

This study identifies pleiotropic effects of dopaminergic and serotonergic genes on addiction, aggression, and related behaviors through GWAS and TWAS analyses across multiple datasets.

Divergent risky decision-making and impulsivity behaviors in two Lewis substrains of rats with low genetic difference

The paper compares risky decision-making and impulsivity between two Lewis rat substrains, finding significant phenotypic differences linked to genetic variants.

From Prediction to Action: Dissociable Roles of Ventral Tegmental Area and Substantia Nigra Dopamine Neurons in Instrumental Reinforcement

This study identifies distinct roles of VTA and SNc dopamine neurons in instrumental learning through behavioral tasks and optogenetic manipulations, showing they support different reinforcement mechanisms.