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Striatal low-threshold spiking interneurons locally gate dopamine
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Striatal low-threshold spiking interneurons locally gate dopamine

Elizabeth N. Holly, M. Felicia Davatolhagh, Rodrigo A. Espana and Marc Fuccillo
Current biology, v 31(18), pp 4139-4147.e6
27 Sep 2021
PMID: 34302742
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.081View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)CC BY-NC-ND V4.0 Open

Abstract

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Biology Cell Biology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Life Sciences & Biomedicine - Other Topics Science & Technology
The dorsomedial striatum (DMS) is a central hub supporting goal-directed learning and motor performance. Recent evidence has revealed unexpected roles for local inhibitory GABAergic networks in modulating striatal output and behavior.(1) The sparse low-threshold spiking interneuron subtype (LTSI), which exhibits robust reward-circumscribed population activity, is a bidirectional regulator of initial goal-directed learning.(2) Striatal dopamine signaling is a central reward-related neuromodulatory system mediating goal-directed action and performance, serving as a teaching signal,(3) facilitating synaptic plasticity,(4) and invigorating motor behaviors.(5) Given the dynamic modulation of LTSIs during goal-directed behavior, we hypothesized that they could provide a novel GABAergic mechanism of local striatal dopaminergic regulation to shape early learning. We provide anatomical evidence for close proximation of LTSI terminals and dopaminergic processes in striatum, suggesting that LTSIs directly control dopaminergic axon activity. Using in vitro fast scan cyclic voltammetry, we demonstrate that LTSIs directly attenuate optogenetically evoked dopamine via GABAB receptor signaling. In vivo, GRABDA dopamine sensor imaging shows that LTSIs strongly modulate striatal dopamine dynamics during operant learning, while pharmacological stabilization of dopamine via intra-striatal aripiprazole microinjection suppresses the effects of LTSI inhibition on learning. Together, these results uncover an unexpected function for LTSIs in gating striatal dopamine to facilitate goal-directed learning.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Biology
Cell Biology
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