Olfactory tubercle neurons exhibit slow-phasic firing patterns during cocaine self-administration

Striano, Brendan M; Barker, David J.; Pawlak, Anthony P.; Root, David H.; Fabbricatore, Anthony T.; Coffey, Kevin R.; Stamos, Joshua P.; West, Mark O.

doi:10.1002/syn.21744

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 12 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Besides, the NAc and OT, components of the ventral striatum, mediate reward processing similarly ( Striano et al, 2014 ; Millhouse and Heimer, 1984 ) and both are innervated by DAergic projections from the VTA. Although the NAc has been extensively studied, the OT has received much less attentions, in spite of the unique anatomical position.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Activation of the dopaminergic pathway from VTA to the medial olfactory tubercle generates odor-preference and reward

Zhang

Liu

Wen

et al. 2017

eLife

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Odor-preferences are usually influenced by life experiences. However, the neural circuit mechanisms remain unclear. The medial olfactory tubercle (mOT) is involved in both reward and olfaction, whereas the ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons are considered to be engaged in reward and motivation. Here, we found that the VTA (DAergic)-mOT pathway could be activated by different types of naturalistic rewards as well as odors in DAT-cre mice. Optogenetic activation of the VTA-mOT DAergic fibers was able to elicit preferences for space, location and neutral odor, while pharmacological blockade of the dopamine receptors in the mOT fully prevented the odor-preference formation. Furthermore, inactivation of the mOT-projecting VTA DAergic neurons eliminated the previously formed odor-preference and strongly affected the Go-no go learning efficiency. In summary, our results revealed that the VTA (DAergic)-mOT pathway mediates a variety of naturalistic reward processes and different types of preferences including odor-preference in mice.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Activation of the dopaminergic pathway from VTA to the medial olfactory tubercle generates odor-preference and reward

Zhang

Liu

Wen

et al. 2017

eLife

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…17 Therefore, VTA DA in the OT may also play a role in the neural correlates of reward. 10,[18][19][20] There is some evidence to suggest that despite similar patterns of VTA innervation, DA in the OT maybe critically involved in reward processing, potentially contributing more towards the processes underlying reward and drug addiction. 10,20,21 For these reasons, DA in the OT has begun to receive renewed attention from neuroscientists.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…10,[18][19][20] There is some evidence to suggest that despite similar patterns of VTA innervation, DA in the OT maybe critically involved in reward processing, potentially contributing more towards the processes underlying reward and drug addiction. 10,20,21 For these reasons, DA in the OT has begun to receive renewed attention from neuroscientists. 10 Yet while DA is a key component of normal OT function, compared to other ventral striatal structures, DA transmission in the OT, its regulation, and functional roles are less known.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of fast-scan cyclic voltammetry for the in vivo characterization of optically evoked dopamine in the olfactory tubercle of the rat brain

Wakabayashi

Bruno

Bass

et al. 2016

Analyst

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The olfactory tubercle (OT), as a component of the ventral striatum, serves as an important multisensory integration center for reward-related processes in the brain. Recent studies show that dense dopaminergic innervation from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) into the OT may play an outsized role in disorders such as psychostimulant addiction and disorders of motivation, increasing recent scientific interest in this brain region. However, due to its anatomical inaccessibility, relative small size, and proximity to other dopamine-rich structures, neurochemical assessments using conventional methods cannot be readily employed. Here, we investigated dopamine (DA) regulation in the OT of urethane-anesthetized rats using in vivo fast-scan voltammetry (FSCV) coupled with carbon-fiber microelectrodes, following optogenetic stimulation of the VTA. The results were compared with DA regulation in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a structure located adjacent to the OT and which also receives dense DA innervation from the VTA. FSCV coupled with optically evoked release allowed us to investigate the spatial distribution of DA in the OT and characterize OT DA dynamics (release and clearance) with subsecond temporal and micrometer spatial resolution for the first time. In this study, we demonstrated that DA transporters play an important role in regulating DA in the OT. However, the control of extracellular DA by uptake in the OT was less than in the NAc. The difference in DA transmission in the terminal fields of the OT and NAc may be involved in region-specific responses to drugs of abuse and contrasting roles in mediating reward-related behavior.

show abstract

“…More recent work has shown that OT neural activity represents instrumental actions, as well as rewards themselves. First, and related to the above work by (Ikemoto, 2003), OT activity is modulated around the times animals self-administer cocaine (Striano et al, 2014). Second, work by our group found that OT units in water-motivated mice represent instrumental responding (licking) to obtain a fluid reward (Gadziola and Wesson, 2016) (Fig.…”

Section: Counterpoint: the Ventral Striatopallidummentioning

confidence: 79%

The Tubular Striatum

Wesson

2020

J. Neurosci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In the mid-19th century, a misconception was born, which understandably persists in the minds of many neuroscientists today. The eminent scientist Albert von Kölliker named a tubular-shaped piece of tissue found in the brains of all mammals studied to date, the tuberculum olfactoriumor what is commonly known as the olfactory tubercle (OT). In doing this, Kölliker ascribed "olfactory" functions and an "olfactory" purpose to the OT. The OT has since been classified as one of several olfactory cortices. However, further investigations of OT functions, especially over the last decade, have provided evidence for roles of the OT beyond olfaction, including in learning, motivated behaviors, and even seeking of psychoactive drugs. Indeed, research to date suggests caution in assigning the OT with a purely olfactory role. Here, I build on previous research to synthesize a model wherein the OT, which may be more appropriately termed the "tubular striatum" (TuS), is a neural system in which sensory information derived from an organism's experiences is integrated with information about its motivational states to guide affective and behavioral responses.

show abstract

Olfactory tubercle neurons exhibit slow-phasic firing patterns during cocaine self-administration

Cited by 8 publications

References 12 publications

Activation of the dopaminergic pathway from VTA to the medial olfactory tubercle generates odor-preference and reward

Activation of the dopaminergic pathway from VTA to the medial olfactory tubercle generates odor-preference and reward

Application of fast-scan cyclic voltammetry for the in vivo characterization of optically evoked dopamine in the olfactory tubercle of the rat brain

The Tubular Striatum

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About