D1 receptor-expressing neurons in ventral tegmental area alleviate mouse anxiety-like behaviors via glutamatergic projection to lateral septum

ABSTRACT: Dopamine (DA) acts as a key regulator in controlling emotion, and dysfunction of DA signal has been implicated in the pathophysiology of some psychiatric disorders, including anxiety. Ventral tegmental area (VTA) is one of main regions with DA-producing neurons. VTA DAergic projections in mesolimbic brain regions play a crucial role in regulating anxiety-like behaviors, however, the function of DA signal within VTA in regulating emotion remains unclear. Here, we observe that pharmacological activation/inhibition of VTA D1 receptors will alleviate/aggravate mouse anxiety-like behaviors, and knockdown of VTA D1 receptor expression also exerts anxiogenic effect. With fluorescence in situ hybridization and electrophysiological recording, we find that D1 receptors are functionally expressed in

SUBMITTER: Tong Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9531220 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature