VTA GABA Neurons at the Interface of Stress and Reward
The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is best known for its robust dopaminergic projections to forebrain regions and their critical role in regulating reward, motivation, cognition, and aversion. However, the VTA is not only made of dopamine (DA) cells, as approximately 30% of cells in the VTA are GABA n...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Neural Circuits |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fncir.2019.00078/full |
| _version_ | 1818083681803173888 |
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| author | Chloé Bouarab Brittney Thompson Abigail M. Polter |
| author_facet | Chloé Bouarab Brittney Thompson Abigail M. Polter |
| author_sort | Chloé Bouarab |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is best known for its robust dopaminergic projections to forebrain regions and their critical role in regulating reward, motivation, cognition, and aversion. However, the VTA is not only made of dopamine (DA) cells, as approximately 30% of cells in the VTA are GABA neurons. These neurons play a dual role, as VTA GABA neurons provide both local inhibition of VTA DA neurons and long-range inhibition of several distal brain regions. VTA GABA neurons have increasingly been recognized as potent mediators of reward and aversion in their own right, as well as potential targets for the treatment of addiction, depression, and other stress-linked disorders. In this review article, we dissect the circuit architecture, physiology, and behavioral roles of VTA GABA neurons and suggest critical gaps to be addressed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T19:41:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-85dd5df8bfea41e08a65a841510005eb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-5110 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T19:41:52Z |
| publishDate | 2019-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Neural Circuits |
| spelling | doaj.art-85dd5df8bfea41e08a65a841510005eb2022-12-22T01:35:59ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neural Circuits1662-51102019-12-011310.3389/fncir.2019.00078479774VTA GABA Neurons at the Interface of Stress and RewardChloé BouarabBrittney ThompsonAbigail M. PolterThe ventral tegmental area (VTA) is best known for its robust dopaminergic projections to forebrain regions and their critical role in regulating reward, motivation, cognition, and aversion. However, the VTA is not only made of dopamine (DA) cells, as approximately 30% of cells in the VTA are GABA neurons. These neurons play a dual role, as VTA GABA neurons provide both local inhibition of VTA DA neurons and long-range inhibition of several distal brain regions. VTA GABA neurons have increasingly been recognized as potent mediators of reward and aversion in their own right, as well as potential targets for the treatment of addiction, depression, and other stress-linked disorders. In this review article, we dissect the circuit architecture, physiology, and behavioral roles of VTA GABA neurons and suggest critical gaps to be addressed.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fncir.2019.00078/fullventral tegmental area (VTA)GABArewardstresscircuits |
| spellingShingle | Chloé Bouarab Brittney Thompson Abigail M. Polter VTA GABA Neurons at the Interface of Stress and Reward Frontiers in Neural Circuits ventral tegmental area (VTA) GABA reward stress circuits |
| title | VTA GABA Neurons at the Interface of Stress and Reward |
| title_full | VTA GABA Neurons at the Interface of Stress and Reward |
| title_fullStr | VTA GABA Neurons at the Interface of Stress and Reward |
| title_full_unstemmed | VTA GABA Neurons at the Interface of Stress and Reward |
| title_short | VTA GABA Neurons at the Interface of Stress and Reward |
| title_sort | vta gaba neurons at the interface of stress and reward |
| topic | ventral tegmental area (VTA) GABA reward stress circuits |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fncir.2019.00078/full |
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