Histological analyses of reinforcement circuitry

我们这项研究的主要目的是确定从腹侧纹状体到大脑其他部分的详细神经连接。行为学研究表明，与外侧腹侧纹状体（包括伏隔核、腹侧壳和外侧结节）相比，包括伏隔核、腹侧壳和外侧结节在内的腹侧纹状体内侧部分对精神运动刺激物的初级强化作用负有更大的责任。将顺行示踪剂PHAL注射到腹侧纹状体亚区，观察顺行标记神经元的表达。

Our major aim of this study is to determine detailed neural connections from the ventral striatum to the rest of the brain. Behavioral studies indicate that the medial portion of the ventral striatum, which includes the medial accumbens shell and medial olfactory tubercle, is more responsible for primary reinforcing effects of psychomotor stimulants than the lateral ventral striatum, which includes the accumbens core, ventral shell, and lateral tubercle. The anterograde tracer PHAL was injected into subregions of the ventral striatum, and the expression of anterogradely labeled neurons were characterized. This study is still ongoing. Our analysis begins to indicate that projections of the olfactory tubercle are largely confined to the ventral pallidum with mediolateral topography.