Nucleus Accumbens Processing of Reward-predictive Cues

延髓核（NAc）是负责神经回路的重要贡献者， 参与目标导向的行为（如药物寻求），以响应环境刺激， 预测奖励可用性。本文提出的研究是一个生理机制的调查 NAc处理刺激并影响刺激导致目标导向的概率 行为NAc神经元的放电可分为三大类：线索诱发放电， 与操作相关的放电增加或减少，以及与奖励相关的放电变化。的信息 将通过改变线索所包含的信息来确定这些模式所包含的信息（对于 例如，去哪里获得奖励），并检查神经是否以及如何因此做出反应 变化运动行为和NAc神经元放电之间的关系将被明确检查， 特别是当它与驱动目标导向行为的线索有关时。此外，NAc的程度 神经元编码的奖励预测线索将被检查。 虽然大量的行为药理学和解剖学研究表明， NAc核、壳和吻极在行为上存在差异，很少有电生理研究明确 这些区域的神经元在已知被控制的行为任务中如何反应的差异， 因此，本项目的第二个目标是确定NAc的放电模式是如何被激活的。 分布在北大西洋公约组织各分区域。 这项工作的第三个主要目标是建立多巴胺能投射到NAc的作用， 调节自然奖赏行为中的神经放电。多巴胺拮抗剂的微量注射 旨在改变特定放电模式的NAc内的信号将用于建立神经元之间的因果关系。 行为和奖励行为。这些实验将使我们更全面地了解 NAc神经元和NAc内释放的多巴胺有助于自然奖励的过程。 这种理解对于确定药物奖赏的神经机制至关重要。

The nucleus accumbens (NAc)is an important contributor to the neural circuitry responsible for the engagement of goal-directed behavior (such as drug seeking) in response to environmental stimuli that predict reward availability. The research proposed here is an investigation of the physiological mechanisms by which the NAc processes stimuli and influences the probability that a stimulus will result in goal-directed behavior. The firing of NAc neurons can be divided into three broad categories: cue-evoked discharges, operant-related increases or decreases in firing, and reward-related firing changes. The information contained by these patterns will be determined by changing the information contained by the cue (for instance, where to go to get the reward) and examining whether and how the neural responses consequently change. The relationship between locomotor behavior and NAc neuron firing will be explicitly examined, particularly as it relates to cues that drive goal-directed behavior. In addition, the degree to which NAc neurons encode the reward predicted by cues will be examined. Although a great deal of behavioral pharmacology and anatomy research suggests that the roles of the NAc core, shell and rostral pole in behavior are different, few electrophysiological studies have identified differences in how neurons in these regions respond during behavioral tasks known to be controlled or influenced by the NAc.Therefore, a second goal of this project is to determine how NAc firing patterns are distributed among the subregions of the NAc. A third major goal of this work is to establish the role of the dopaminergic projection to the NAc in modulating neural firing during natural reward-seeking behavior. Microinjection of dopamine antagonists within the NAc intended to alter specific firing patterns will be used to establish a causal link between neural activity and reward-seeking behavior. These experiments will lead to a more complete understanding of how NAc neurons, and dopamine released within the NAc, contribute to the processes underlying natural reward. Such an understanding is essential for the determination of the neural mechanisms of drug reward.