Serotonergic versus nonserotonergic dorsal raphe projection neurons: differential participation in reward circuitry.

ABSTRACT: The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) contains the largest group of serotonin-producing neurons in the brain and projects to regions controlling reward. Although pharmacological studies suggest that serotonin inhibits reward seeking, electrical stimulation of the DRN strongly reinforces instrumental behavior. Here, we provide a targeted assessment of the behavioral, anatomical, and electrophysiological contributions of serotonergic and nonserotonergic DRN neurons to reward processes. To explore DRN heterogeneity, we used a simultaneous two-vector knockout/optogenetic stimulation strategy, as well as cre-induced and cre-silenced vectors in several cre-expressing transgenic mouse lines. We found that the DRN is capable of reinforcing behavior primarily via nonserotonergic neurons, for which the mai

SUBMITTER: McDevitt RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4181379 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature