VTA monosynaptic connections by local glutamate and GABA neurons and their distinct roles in behavior.

ABSTRACT: The ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons have been implicated in diverse behaviors. These VTA^dopamine neurons are intermixed with neurons that co-transmit glutamate and GABA (VTA^{glutamate-GABA}), transmit glutamate (VTA^{glutamate-only}) or GABA (VTA^GABA-only). In dual recombinase vglut2-Cre/vgat-Flp transgenic mice, we combined quantitative ultrastructural analysis with 3D correlative light and electron microscopy and found that VTA^{glutamate-only} neurons frequently established synapses on VTA^dopamine and VTA^{glutamate-only} neurons, and that VTA^GABA-only neurons mostly synapsed on VTA^dopamine neurons. By selective targeting of VTA subpopulations of neurons, we demonstrated that activation

SUBMITTER: Barbano MF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12475231 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature