CaMKIIa+ neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis modulate pace of natural reward seeking depending on internal state.

Autor: Huijgens PT; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway. patty.t.huijgens@uit.no.; Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. patty.t.huijgens@uit.no., Heijkoop R; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway., Vanderschuren LJMJ; Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands., Lesscher HMB; Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands., Snoeren EMS; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway. eelke.snoeren@uit.no.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Psychopharmacology [Psychopharmacology (Berl)] 2024 Jun; Vol. 241 (6), pp. 1245-1263. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Feb 24.
DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06561-5
Abstrakt: This study aims to investigate the underlying neurobiological mechanisms that regulate natural reward seeking behaviors, specifically in the context of sexual behavior and sucrose self-administration. The role of CaMKIIa+ neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) was explored using chemogenetic silencing and -stimulation. Additionally, the study examined how these effects interacted with the internal state of the animals. Through detailed behavioral analysis, it was demonstrated that CaMKIIa+ neurons in the BNST play a significant role in the regulation of both sexual behavior and sucrose self-administration. Although the behavioral outcome measures differed between the two behaviors, the regulatory role of the CaMKIIa+ neurons in the BNST was found to converge on the modulation of the pacing of engagement in these behaviors in male rats. Moreover, our study confirmed that the internal physiological state of the animal affects how the BNST modulates these behaviors. These findings suggest that different types of natural rewards may recruit a similar brain circuitry to regulate the display of motivated behaviors. Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the neural mechanisms underlying natural reward seeking and sheds light on the interconnected nature of reward-related behaviors in male rats.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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