Dopamine is a critical modulator of brain circuits that control voluntary movements. However, its influence on the activity of target neurons in vivo remains limited. In this study, two-photon microscopy was used to monitor the activity of direct and indirect-pathway spiny projection neurons (SPNs) simultaneously in the striatum of behaving mice. The striatum mainly consists of two large populations...

Dopamine-releasing neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta inhibit target cells in the striatum through postsynaptic activation of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for GABAergic signaling remains unknown. This study demonstrated that dopamine-releasing substantia nigra pars compacta neurons do not produce GABA using Aldh1a1 but rely instead on...

Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) uses specialized mechanosensory neurons to detect food. These neurons release dopamine to suppress foraging and promote dwelling. This study identified genes highly expressed in dopaminergic food-sensing neurons and screened for defects in the food-triggered slowing behavior mediated by these neurons. They found a K2P-family potassium channel gene TWK-2 that mutates...

Social behaviors are among the most notable motivated behaviors that are driven by rewarding goals. However, how dopamine (DA), a reward signal, releases during social behaviors has been unclear. This study used a genetically encoded DA sensor, GRABDA2m, to record DA activity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core during various social behaviors in male and female mice. They performed optical recording...

Aggression is an innate social behaviour that is essential for defending territory, competing for resources, and securing mates. This study demonstrated that dopaminergic cells in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) can bidirectionally modulate aggression in male mice in an experience-dependent manner. To investigate the role of experience-dependent dopamine modulation on aggression, they tested the effect...

This study evaluated the influence of physical exercise on striatal dopamine release, as well as on mobility and motor coordination in aging male and female C57BL/6J mice (46-52 weeks of age). Mice were allowed unlimited access to a freely rotating wheel (runners) or a locked wheel (controls) for 30 days. Electrically evoked dopamine release was quantified using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry, in the...