Characteristics of rat ventral tegmental area GABAergic-like neuronal responses to an aversive stimulus

• Autorzy: Drwiega G. , Walczak M. , Pradel K. , Izowit G. , Solecki W.B. , Blasiak T.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

INTRODUCTION: The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is a major source of dopamine in the mammalian brain. Previous studies have confirmed that the pattern of VTA dopamine (DA) cell spontaneous activity is tonic rather than phasic during an activation state in contrast to deactivation (SWA), generated by urethane anesthesia. However, little is known about the second largest neuronal population in the VTA – GABA-ergic cells, which best known functional role is to inhibit the surrounding DA neurons, for e.g., in response to an aversive stimulus. AIM(S): The aim of our study was to investigate how VTA non-DA neurons respond to an aversive stimulus (footshock) and whether this reaction changes with an alterations in the brain states elicited by urethane anesthesia application. METHOD(S): We performed extracellular in vivo recordings of non-DA neurons combined with simultaneous recording of local field potentials from the hippocampus. Recordings were performed using SD‑TH‑Cre+/‑ rats under urethane anesthesia and electric footshocks were applied (45 per state) to the hindpaw of the animal in both brain states. We used optogenetics to identify the phenotype (DA vs. non-DA cell phenotype) of the footshock responsive cells by photo‑tagging. RESULTS: GABAergic-like (non-DA) cells respond to the footshock with either excitation (36%) or inhibition (16%) of their activity regardless of the brain states. Interestingly, a fraction of those non‑DA cells (20%) reacted with inhibition during activation and excitation during a deactivation state. The rest of the cells react with no‑responses in at least one state (28%). CONCLUSIONS: In line with previous studies, we observed a population of non-DA cells that react with excitation in response to footshocks. Interestingly, we also observed non-DA cells that were inhibited and populations that reacts depending on current brain state. Our results indicate a more complex role of GABAergic cells in response to footshock than previously assumed.

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis
• Rocznik: 2019
• Tom: 79
• Numer: Suppl.1
• Opis fizyczny: p.LXIV

Twórcy

autor

Drwiega G.

• Department of Neurobiology and Neuropsychology, Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland

autor

Walczak M.

• Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland

autor

Pradel K.

• Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland

autor

Izowit G.

• Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland

autor

Solecki W.B.

• Department of Neurobiology and Neuropsychology, Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland

autor

Blasiak T.

• Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland