Loss of UBE3A from TH-expressing neurons suppresses GABA co-release and enhances VTA-NAc optical self-stimulation.

ABSTRACT: Motivated reward-seeking behaviours are governed by dopaminergic ventral tegmental area projections to the nucleus accumbens. In addition to dopamine, these mesoaccumbal terminals co-release other neurotransmitters including glutamate and GABA, whose roles in regulating motivated behaviours are currently being investigated. Here we demonstrate that loss of the E3-ubiquitin ligase, UBE3A, from tyrosine hydroxylase-expressing neurons impairs mesoaccumbal, non-canonical GABA co-release and enhances reward-seeking behaviour measured by optical self-stimulation.

SUBMITTER: Berrios J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4754338 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature