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.
复制标题
从 VTA 到内侧嗅结节的多巴胺能通路的激活产生气味偏好和奖励
作者：
Zhang Z;Liu Q;Wen P;Zhang J;Rao X;Zhou Z;Zhang H;He X;Li J;Zhou Z;Xu X;Zhang X;Luo R;Lv G;Li H;Cao P;Wang L;Xu F
气味偏好通常会受到生活经历的影响。然而，神经回路机制仍不清楚。内侧嗅结节(MOT)参与奖赏和嗅觉，腹侧被盖区(VTA)多巴胺能神经元则参与奖赏和动机。在这里，我们发现，在DAT-cre小鼠中，不同类型的自然主义奖励以及气味都可以激活VTA(DAERIGNAL)-MOT通路。VTA-mot能纤维的光遗传激活能够引起对空间、位置和中性气味的偏好，而药物阻断MOT中的多巴胺受体则完全阻止了气味偏好的形成。此外，MOT投射的VTA DA能神经元的失活消除了先前形成的气味偏好，并强烈影响了GO-NO-GO学习效率。综上所述，我们的结果揭示了VTA(DAERIGNAL)-MOT通路在小鼠中介导了各种自然主义的奖赏过程和不同类型的偏好，包括气味偏好。
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.