Glutamatergic signaling by mesolimbic dopamine neurons in the nucleus accumbens

Fatuel Tecuapetla, Jyoti C. Patel, Harry Xenias, Daniel English, Ibrahim Tadros, Fulva Shah, Joshua Berlin, Karl Deisseroth, Margaret E. Rice, James M. Tepper, Tibor Koos

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

248 Scopus citations

Abstract

Recent evidence suggests the intriguing possibility that midbrain dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons may use fast glutamatergic transmission to communicate with their postsynaptic targets. Because of technical limitations, direct demonstration of the existence of this signaling mechanism has been limited to experiments using cell culture preparations that often alter neuronal function including neurotransmitter phenotype. Consequently, it remains uncertain whether glutamatergic signaling between DAergic neurons and their postsynaptic targets exists under physiological conditions. Here, using an optogenetic approach, we provide the first conclusive demonstration that mesolimbic DAergic neurons in mice release glutamate and elicit excitatory postsynaptic responses in projection neurons of the nucleus accumbens. In addition, we describe the properties of the postsynaptic glutamatergic responses of these neurons during experimentally evoked burst firing of DAergic axons that reproduce the reward-related phasic population activity of the mesolimbic projection. These observations indicate that, in addition to DAergic mechanisms, mesolimbic reward signaling may involve glutamatergic transmission.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)7105-7110
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Neuroscience
Volume30
Issue number20
DOIs
StatePublished - May 19 2010

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Neuroscience

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