Glutamatergic Ventral Pallidal Neurons Modulate Activity of the Habenula –Tegmental Circuitry and Constrain Reward Seeking

The ability to appropriately integrate and respond to rewarding and aversive stimuli is essential for survival. The ventral pallidum (VP) plays a critical role in processing both rewarding and aversive stimuli. However, the VP is a heterogeneous structure, and how VP subpopulations integrate into larger reward networks to ultimately modulate these behaviors is not known. We identify a noncanonical population of glutamatergic VP neurons that play a unique role in responding to aversive stimuli and constraining inappropriate reward seeking.

Source: Biological Psychiatry - January 12, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Jessica Tooley, Lauren Marconi, Jason Bondoc Alipio, Bridget Matikainen-Ankney, Polymnia Georgiou, Alexxai V. Kravitz, Meaghan C. Creed Tags: Priority Communication Source Type: research