A cross-section of a mouse brain. The location highlighted red is the midbrain dopamine area that neuroscientists think controls reward knowing. Credit: Li lab/Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
To test how Sst+ CeA neurons assist us find out, Professor Li and his colleagues trained mice to associate particular sounds with particular benefits or penalties. They imaged the mices brains along the method.
Formerly, researchers had actually assumed that the amygdala could not compare bad and good stimuli. Lis team found that not just did the nerve cells react in a different way to rewards versus punishments, however they responded differently to specific types of rewards. For instance, if mice received water, their nerve cells fired in a different way than if they received food or sugar water.
Li says: “This is totally brand-new to us. These nerve cells actually appreciate the nature of each specific stimulus. Its practically like a sensory location.”
This schematic highlights how Lis group experienced mice to associate particular noises with particular benefits. Credit: Li lab/Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
The team also saw that the mices brains fired more Sst+ CeA neurons more strongly after training. To test this suspicion, the neuroscientists hindered Sst+ CeA neurons in some of the mice.
With the nerve cells prevented, the group made another essential finding. Regular dopamine neuron actions were likewise reduced. While previous research had connected the CeA to dopamine nerve cells, it was unclear exactly how they were connected.
” We discovered those nerve cells are needed for normal function for dopamine nerve cells, and therefore are important for reward knowing,” Li says. “That is direct proof of how CeA nerve cells regulate the function of dopamine nerve cells.”
Next, Li plans to take a look at the relationship in between Sst+ CeA nerve cells and addiction. This could one day result in much better treatments for opioid or methamphetamine addicts, he says.
” Our study provides a basis for developing more specific methods to control these nerve cells in various illness conditions,” Li states.
Referral: “Plastic and stimulus-specific coding of salient events in the main amygdala” 5 April 2023, Nature.DOI: 10.1038/ s41586-023-05910-2.
Funding: NIH/National Institutes of Health, Human Frontier Science Program, Wodecroft Foundation, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Northwell Health, Feil Family Neuroscience Endowment, National Medical Research Council.
Neuroscientist Bo Li at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has made considerable discoveries about the role of somatostatin-expressing (Sst+) central amygdala (CeA) neurons in discovering about risks and rewards, and their relation to dopamine. By training mice to associate noises with rewards or punishments and imaging their brains, Lis group found that the neurons responded differently to different types of rewards, demonstrating a level of uniqueness previously unidentified. Inhibition of Sst+ CeA nerve cells led to reduced dopamine nerve cell reactions, verifying their importance in reward knowing. His lab recently made a series of discoveries that show how nerve cells called somatostatin-expressing (Sst+) main amygdala (CeA) nerve cells assist us learn about rewards and dangers. Lis team found that not only did the nerve cells respond differently to penalties versus rewards, however they reacted differently to specific types of benefits.
Research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has revealed that particular nerve cells in the main amygdala are vital for finding out about dangers and rewards, and are directly connected to dopamine nerve cells. This discovery might eventually result in better treatments for addiction.
By training mice to associate noises with benefits or punishments and imaging their brains, Lis group found that the nerve cells reacted differently to different types of benefits, showing a level of uniqueness formerly unidentified. Inhibition of Sst+ CeA neurons led to reduced dopamine nerve cell responses, validating their importance in benefit learning.
Deep within our brains temporal lobes, 2 almond-shaped cell masses assist keep us alive. This tiny region, called the amygdala, assists with a variety of brain activities. It helps us find out and keep in mind. It activates our fight-or-flight action. It even promotes the release of a feel-good chemical called dopamine. Scientists have actually found out all this by studying the amygdala over hundreds of years. We still havent reached a full understanding of how these processes work.
His lab recently made a series of discoveries that reveal how nerve cells called somatostatin-expressing (Sst+) main amygdala (CeA) neurons help us discover about rewards and hazards. He also showed how these neurons relate to dopamine.
