Dopamine neurons modulate neural encoding and expression of depression-related behaviour.

ABSTRACT: Major depression is characterized by diverse debilitating symptoms that include hopelessness and anhedonia. Dopamine neurons involved in reward and motivation are among many neural populations that have been hypothesized to be relevant, and certain antidepressant treatments, including medications and brain stimulation therapies, can influence the complex dopamine system. Until now it has not been possible to test this hypothesis directly, even in animal models, as existing therapeutic interventions are unable to specifically target dopamine neurons. Here we investigated directly the causal contributions of defined dopamine neurons to multidimensional depression-like phenotypes induced by chronic mild stress, by integrating behavioural, pharmacological, optogenetic and electrophysiological

SUBMITTER: Tye KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4160519 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature