Protocol for implementing medial forebrain bundle stimulation as a reward for perceptual tasks in mice.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Verdier A
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10630816 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Protocol for implementing medial forebrain bundle stimulation as a reward for perceptual tasks in mice.
Verdier Antonin A Bathellier Brice B Bagur Sophie S
STAR protocols 20231030 4
Training mice to perform perceptual tasks is a vital part of integrative neuroscience. Replacing classical rewards like water with medial forebrain bundle (MFB) stimulation allows experimenters to avoid deprivation and obtain higher trial numbers per session. Here, we provide a protocol for implementing MFB-based reward in mice. We describe steps for MFB electrode implantation, efficacy testing, and stimulation calibration. After these steps, MFB reward can be used to facilitate sensory discrimi ...[more]
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Project description:BackgroundIntracranial Self-Stimulation (ICSS) of the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) is a deep brain stimulation procedure, which has a powerful enhancement effect on explicit and implicit memory. However, the downstream synaptic plasticity events of MFB-ICSS in memory related areas have not been described thoroughly. This study complements previous work studying the effect of MFB-ICSS on the expression of the activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated (Arc) protein, which has been widely established as a synaptic plasticity marker. We provide new integrated measurements from memory related regions and take possible regional hemispheric differences into consideration.ResultsArc protein expression levels were analyzed 4.5 h after MFB-ICSS by immunohistochemistry in the hippocampus, habenula, and memory related amygdalar and thalamic nuclei, in both the ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheres to the stimulating electrode location. MFB-ICSS was performed using the same paradigm which has previously been shown to facilitate memory. Our findings illustrate that MFB-ICSS upregulates the expression of Arc protein in the oriens and radiatum layers of ipsilateral CA1 and contralateral CA3 hippocampal regions; the hilus bilaterally, the lateral amygdala and dorsolateral thalamic areas as well as the central medial thalamic nucleus. In contrast, the central amygdala, mediodorsal and paraventricular thalamic nuclei, and the habenular complex did not show changes in Arc expression after MFB-ICSS.ConclusionsOur results expand our knowledge of which specific memory related areas MFB-ICSS activates and, motivates the definition of three functionally separate groups according to their Arc-related synaptic plasticity response: (1) the hippocampus and dorsolateral thalamic area, (2) the central medial thalamic area and (3) the lateral amygdala.
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