Abstract
A dynamic interaction between the prefrontal cortex (PFC), amygdala, and nucleus accumbens (NAc) may be fundamental to regulation of goal-directed behavior by affective and cognitive processes. This study demonstrates that a mechanism for this triadic relationship is an inhibitory control by prefrontal cortex on accumbal dopamine release during amygdala activation. In freely moving rats, microstimulation of basolateral amygdala at intensities that produced mild behavioral activation produced an expected rapid increase in glutamate efflux in the prefrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens shell region of the ventral striatum. However, during the stimulation, dopamine release increased only in the prefrontal cortex, not in the nucleus accumbens. An increase in accumbal dopamine release was observed during the stimulation if glutamate activation in the prefrontal cortex was inhibited at either presynaptic or postsynaptic levels. Some behaviors expressed during the stimulation were intensified in animals in which prefrontal cortex glutamate activation was blocked. In addition, these animals continued to express stimulus-induced behaviors after the termination of stimulation, whereas normal poststimulus behaviors such as ambulation and grooming were not displayed as frequently. Considering that dopamine neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbens is thought to play an integral role in goal-directed motor behavior, these findings suggest that the prefrontal cortex influences the behavioral impact of amygdala activation via a concomitant active suppression of accumbal dopamine release. Absence of this cortical influence appears to result in an aberrant pattern of behavioral expression in response to amygdala activation, including behavioral perseveration after stimulus termination.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 676-681 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of Neuroscience |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| State | Published - Jan 15 2001 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- AMPA
- Metabotropic glutamate receptors
- Motivation
- Schizophrenia
- Striatum
- Ventral tegmental area
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuroscience(all)
Cite this
Amygdala regulation of nucleus accumbens dopamine output is governed by the prefrontal cortex. / Jackson, Mark E.; Moghaddam, Bita.
In: Journal of Neuroscience, Vol. 21, No. 2, 15.01.2001, p. 676-681.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Amygdala regulation of nucleus accumbens dopamine output is governed by the prefrontal cortex
AU - Jackson, Mark E.
AU - Moghaddam, Bita
PY - 2001/1/15
Y1 - 2001/1/15
N2 - A dynamic interaction between the prefrontal cortex (PFC), amygdala, and nucleus accumbens (NAc) may be fundamental to regulation of goal-directed behavior by affective and cognitive processes. This study demonstrates that a mechanism for this triadic relationship is an inhibitory control by prefrontal cortex on accumbal dopamine release during amygdala activation. In freely moving rats, microstimulation of basolateral amygdala at intensities that produced mild behavioral activation produced an expected rapid increase in glutamate efflux in the prefrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens shell region of the ventral striatum. However, during the stimulation, dopamine release increased only in the prefrontal cortex, not in the nucleus accumbens. An increase in accumbal dopamine release was observed during the stimulation if glutamate activation in the prefrontal cortex was inhibited at either presynaptic or postsynaptic levels. Some behaviors expressed during the stimulation were intensified in animals in which prefrontal cortex glutamate activation was blocked. In addition, these animals continued to express stimulus-induced behaviors after the termination of stimulation, whereas normal poststimulus behaviors such as ambulation and grooming were not displayed as frequently. Considering that dopamine neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbens is thought to play an integral role in goal-directed motor behavior, these findings suggest that the prefrontal cortex influences the behavioral impact of amygdala activation via a concomitant active suppression of accumbal dopamine release. Absence of this cortical influence appears to result in an aberrant pattern of behavioral expression in response to amygdala activation, including behavioral perseveration after stimulus termination.
AB - A dynamic interaction between the prefrontal cortex (PFC), amygdala, and nucleus accumbens (NAc) may be fundamental to regulation of goal-directed behavior by affective and cognitive processes. This study demonstrates that a mechanism for this triadic relationship is an inhibitory control by prefrontal cortex on accumbal dopamine release during amygdala activation. In freely moving rats, microstimulation of basolateral amygdala at intensities that produced mild behavioral activation produced an expected rapid increase in glutamate efflux in the prefrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens shell region of the ventral striatum. However, during the stimulation, dopamine release increased only in the prefrontal cortex, not in the nucleus accumbens. An increase in accumbal dopamine release was observed during the stimulation if glutamate activation in the prefrontal cortex was inhibited at either presynaptic or postsynaptic levels. Some behaviors expressed during the stimulation were intensified in animals in which prefrontal cortex glutamate activation was blocked. In addition, these animals continued to express stimulus-induced behaviors after the termination of stimulation, whereas normal poststimulus behaviors such as ambulation and grooming were not displayed as frequently. Considering that dopamine neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbens is thought to play an integral role in goal-directed motor behavior, these findings suggest that the prefrontal cortex influences the behavioral impact of amygdala activation via a concomitant active suppression of accumbal dopamine release. Absence of this cortical influence appears to result in an aberrant pattern of behavioral expression in response to amygdala activation, including behavioral perseveration after stimulus termination.
KW - AMPA
KW - Metabotropic glutamate receptors
KW - Motivation
KW - Schizophrenia
KW - Striatum
KW - Ventral tegmental area
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0035863201&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0035863201&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 11160446
AN - SCOPUS:0035863201
VL - 21
SP - 676
EP - 681
JO - Journal of Neuroscience
JF - Journal of Neuroscience
SN - 0270-6474
IS - 2
ER -