Summary
Serotonin 5HT2c receptors have been implicated in the pathophysiology of both mood disorders and substance use disorders, but the precise cells and circuits mediating the effects on behavior have yet to be identified. In this study, we employed anatomical tracing, in-vivo fiber photometry with both calcium and serotonin sensors, electrophysiology, chemogenetics, and genetic manipulations of the 5HT2c receptor to identify two populations of neurons expressing serotonin 5HT2c receptors, one in the lateral habenula and one in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, that sex-specifically co-regulate affective behaviors and are modulated by binge alcohol consumption. These findings may have implications for the development of sex-specific treatments for mood disorders and substance use disorders targeting the brain’s serotonin system.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
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