Neurotransmitter co-release mediated by midbrain dopamine neurons

Abstract

One of fundamental questions in neuroscience is how distinct neurotransmitters control and orchestrate neuronal functions to generate proper behaviors for survival in complex environment. It is understood that repeated binge-like drinking is a gateway to alcoholism, but it is less well established precisely how repeated ethanol exposure leads to an increased likelihood of alcohol preference. Alterations in the dopaminergic system are particularly relevant to alcohol preference because dopamine (DA) is involved in multiple forms of addiction. It is known that, in addition to DA, DA neurons can co-release fast-acting neurotransmitters including glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), suggesting that these additional neurotransmitters co-released by DA neurons may be involved in developing alcohol preference. In this talk, I will describe my work about co-transmission of inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA, from dopaminergic terminals and its physiological role in alcohol-related behaviors. Then, I will offer ideas of how this dopaminergic inhibition can regulate the activity of spiny projection neurons (SPNs) in the striatum.