Dorsal Raphe Dopamine Neurons Represent the Experience of Social Isolation

Dorsal Raphe Dopamine Neurons Represent the Experience of Social Isolation

The motivation to seek social contact may arise from either positive or negative emotional states, as social interaction can be rewarding and social isolation can be aversive. While ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons may mediate social reward, a cellular substrate for the negative af...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Matthews, Gillian A., Nieh, Edward H., Vander Weele, Caitlin M., Halbert, Sarah A., Pradhan, Roma V., Yosafat, Ariella S., Glober, Gordon F., Izadmehr, Ehsan M., Thomas, Rain E., Lacy, Gabrielle D., Wildes, Craig P., Ungless, Mark A., Tye, Kay, Matthews, Gillian A., Nieh, Edward H., Vander Weele, Caitlin M., Halbert, Sarah A., Pradhan, Roma V., Yosafat, Ariella S., Glober, Gordon F., Izadmehr, Ehsan M., Thomas, Rain E., Lacy, Gabrielle D., Wildes, Craig P.
Other Authors: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Format: Article
Language:en_US
Published: Cell Press/Elsevier 2016
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/102676
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8269-2615
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6754-0333
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2154-6224
Description
Summary:The motivation to seek social contact may arise from either positive or negative emotional states, as social interaction can be rewarding and social isolation can be aversive. While ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons may mediate social reward, a cellular substrate for the negative affective state of loneliness has remained elusive. Here, we identify a functional role for DA neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), in which we observe synaptic changes following acute social isolation. DRN DA neurons show increased activity upon social contact following isolation, revealed by in vivo calcium imaging. Optogenetic activation of DRN DA neurons increases social preference but causes place avoidance. Furthermore, these neurons are necessary for promoting rebound sociability following an acute period of isolation. Finally, the degree to which these neurons modulate behavior is predicted by social rank, together supporting a role for DRN dopamine neurons in mediating a loneliness-like state.

Similar Items