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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2021.01.21.427572

Synaptic inhibition in the lateral habenula shapes reward anticipation

Lalive, A. L.·Congiu, M.·Clerke, J. A.·Tchenio, A.·Ge, Y.·Mameli, M.
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Abstract

The nervous system can associate neutral cues with rewards to promote appetitive adaptive behaviors. The lateral habenula (LHb) contributes to such behaviors as rewards and reward-predictive cues inhibit this structure and engage LHb-to-dopamine circuits. However, the mechanistic understanding of reward encoding within the LHb remains unknown. We report that, in mice, acquisition of anticipatory licking in a reward-conditioning task potentiates postsynaptic GABAergic transmission, leaving excitatory synapses unaffected. Conversely, LHb-targeted manipulations of postsynaptic GABAergic function via pharmacological blockade or impairment of GABAA receptor trafficking decrease anticipatory licking. Hence, inhibitory signaling within LHb enables the expression of appetitive behaviors.

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Lalive, A. L., Congiu, M., Clerke, J. A., Tchenio, A., Ge, Y., Mameli, M.. 2021-01-21. Synaptic inhibition in the lateral habenula shapes reward anticipation. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.21.427572

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