Dopaminergic Neurons in Zona Incerta Drives Appetitive Self-Grooming

Authors

Zhiying Jiang
Michelle He
Claire Young
Jing Cai
Yuanzhong Xu
Yanyan Jiang
Hongli Li
Maojie Yang
Qingchun Tong

Publication Date

9-1-2024

Journal

Advanced Science

Abstract

Dopaminergic (DA) neurons are known to play a key role in controlling behaviors. While DA neurons in other brain regions are extensively characterized, those in zona incerta (ZITH or A13) receive much less attention and their function remains to be defined. Here it is shown that optogenetic stimulation of these neurons elicited intensive self‐grooming behaviors and promoted place preference, which can be enhanced by training but cannot be converted into contextual memory. Interestingly, the same stimulation increased DA release to periaqueductal grey (PAG) neurons and local PAG antagonism of DA action reduced the elicited self‐grooming. In addition, A13 neurons increased their activity in response to various external stimuli and during natural self‐grooming episodes. Finally, monosynaptic retrograde tracing showed that the paraventricular hypothalamus represents one of the major upstream brain regions to A13 neurons. Taken together, these results reveal that A13 neurons are one of the brain sites that promote appetitive self‐grooming involving DA release to the PAG.

Keywords

Animals, Dopaminergic Neurons, Zona Incerta, Mice, Male, Grooming, Optogenetics, Models, Animal, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Appetitive Behavior, Periaqueductal Gray, A13, dopamine, PAG, self‐grooming, zona incerta

Comments

Associated Data

PMID: 39099402