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.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Impulsive action and risk-related decision-making (RDM) are associated with various psychiatric disorders, including drug abuse. Both behavioral traits have also been linked to reduced frontocortical activity and alterations in dopamine function in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). However, despite direct projections from the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) to the VTA, the specific role of the mPFC-to-VTA pathway in controlling impulsive action and RDM remains unexplored.

Methods

We used positron emission tomography with [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose to evaluate brain metabolic activity in Roman high- (RHA) and low-avoidance (RLA) rats, which exhibit innate differences in impulsive action and RDM. Notably, we used a viral-based double dissociation chemogenetic strategy

SUBMITTER: Uruena-Mendez G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11450641 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature