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Supramammillary neurons projecting to the septum regulate dopamine and motivation for environmental interaction in mice
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Supramammillary neurons projecting to the septum regulate dopamine and motivation for environmental interaction in mice

Andrew J. Kesner, Rick Shin, Coleman B. Calva, Reuben F. Don, Sue Junn, Christian T. Potter, Leslie A. Ramsey, Ahmed F. Abou-Elnaga, Christopher G. Cover, Dong V. Wang, …
Nature communications, v 12(1), pp 2811-2811
14 May 2021
PMID: 33990558
url
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-23040-z.pdfView
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open
url
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23040-zView
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Motivation Reward
The supramammillary region (SuM) is a posterior hypothalamic structure, known to regulate hippocampal theta oscillations and arousal. However, recent studies reported that the stimulation of SuM neurons with neuroactive chemicals, including substances of abuse, is reinforcing. We conducted experiments to elucidate how SuM neurons mediate such effects. Using optogenetics, we found that the excitation of SuM glutamatergic (GLU) neurons was reinforcing in mice; this effect was relayed by their projections to septal GLU neurons. SuM neurons were active during exploration and approach behavior and diminished activity during sucrose consumption. Consistently, inhibition of SuM neurons disrupted approach responses, but not sucrose consumption. Such functions are similar to those of mesolimbic dopamine neurons. Indeed, the stimulation of SuM-to-septum GLU neurons and septum-to-ventral tegmental area (VTA) GLU neurons activated mesolimbic dopamine neurons. We propose that the supramammillo-septo-VTA pathway regulates arousal that reinforces and energizes behavioral interaction with the environment. The supramammillary region (SuM) regulates arousal that reinforces and energizes behavioral interaction with the environment. Here the authors investigate how SuM neurons interact with medial septal neurons and ventral tegmental dopamine neurons to regulate motivation for environmental interaction.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Neurosciences
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