Excitatory transmission from the amygdala to nucleus accumbens facilitates reward seeking

Garret D. Stuber (), Dennis R. Sparta, Alice M. Stamatakis, Wieke A. van Leeuwen, Juanita E. Hardjoprajitno, Saemi Cho, Kay M. Tye, Kimberly A. Kempadoo, Feng Zhang, Karl Deisseroth and Antonello Bonci
Additional contact information
Garret D. Stuber: UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Dennis R. Sparta: UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Alice M. Stamatakis: UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Wieke A. van Leeuwen: Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Drug Addiction, University of California San Francisco
Juanita E. Hardjoprajitno: Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Drug Addiction, University of California San Francisco
Saemi Cho: Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Drug Addiction, University of California San Francisco
Kay M. Tye: Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Drug Addiction, University of California San Francisco
Kimberly A. Kempadoo: Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Drug Addiction, University of California San Francisco
Feng Zhang: Stanford University
Karl Deisseroth: Stanford University
Antonello Bonci: Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Drug Addiction, University of California San Francisco

Nature, 2011, vol. 475, issue 7356, 377-380

Abstract: Brain function during reward seeking Interactions between the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) are involved in a number of reward-processing and addictive behaviours, but our understanding of the precise role of each of these brain areas has been limited by the inability to manipulate pathways selectively during behaviour. Stuber et al. use optogenetic technologies, in which light selectively activates or inhibits genetically-defined neuronal subpopulations, to reveal an unexpected role for the BLA — a brain region usually associated with aversive behaviours. The BLA is shown to be important for processing both positive and negative effects, but glutamatergic pathways between the BLA and NAc are specifically associated with reward-seeking behaviours.

Date: 2011
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DOI: 10.1038/nature10194

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