Topic: dopaminergic cells

The Dorsal Raphe Nucleus (DRN) is the largest of the serotonergic nuclei, but it also comprises a wide variety of neuronal subpopulations, including dopaminergic cells (DRNDA) and astrocytes, which may represent a source of local DRN modulation. The DRN participates in a wide range of behavioral responses related to the processing of aversive stimuli, leading to anxiety state. While the role of DRN5-HT and DRNDA in valence processing is emerging, the contribution of DRN astrocytes (DRNAstro), as well as the underpinning cellular mechanisms, remain elusive. Unpublished data from the lab indicat

Reinforcement learning requires phasic dopamine (DA) release in the forebrain. Canonical hypothesis explaining reinforcing effects of opioids points to a critical role of the activation of the mu opioid receptors (MOR) in the in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). These receptors are thought to be expressed on the local GABAergic interneurons, and their activation leads to GABAergic neurons inhibition, which in turn disinhibit dopaminergic cells. Such disinhibition increases dopamine (DA) release in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). However the mode of DA release (tonic vs phasic) is not well differe