Distinct limbic dopamine regulation across olfactory‐tubercle subregions through integration of in vivo fast‐scan cyclic voltammetry and optogenetics

• DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15577
• Publication Date: 2022-01-21T18:04:17Z
• Authors: Rohan V. Bhimani; Ryan Yates; Caroline E. Bass; Jinwoo Park
• Keywords: Channelrhodopsin; Ventral pallidum; Neurochemical; Limbic system

The olfactory tubercle (OT), an important component of the ventral striatum and limbic system, is involved in multi-sensory integration reward-related information brain. However, its functional roles are often overshadowed by neighboring nucleus accumbens. Increasing evidence has highlighted that dense dopamine (DA) innervation OT from tegmental area (VTA) implicated encoding reward, natural reinforcers, motivated behaviors. Recent studies have further suggested subregions may distinct these processes due to their heterogeneous DA transmission. Currently, very little known about regulation (release clearance) extracellular across limited anatomical accessibility proximity other DA-rich brain regions, making it difficult isolate VTA-DA signaling with conventional methods. Herein, we characterized medial (m) lateral (l) "wild-type," urethane-anesthetized rats integrating vivo fast-scan cyclic voltammetry cell-type specific optogenetics stimulate neurons. Channelrhodopsin-2 was selectively expressed neurons wild-type optical stimulating parameters were optimized determine transmission OT. Our anatomical, neurochemical, pharmacological results show mOT less dependent on transporters greater than lOT. These findings establish as a unique, compartmentalized structure will aid future behavioral characterization drug addiction, outputs necessary for survival.