RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Ventral tegmental area astrocytes orchestrate avoidance and approach behavior
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 401919
DO 10.1101/401919
A1 J. A. Gomez
A1 J. Perkins
A1 G. Beaudoin
A1 N. Cook
A1 S. A. Quraishi
A1 Erin Szoeke
A1 M. J. Wanat
A1 C. A. Paladini
YR 2018
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2018/08/27/401919.abstract
AB The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is a heterogeneous midbrain structure, containing neurons and astrocytes, that coordinates approach and avoidance behaviors by integrating activity from numerous afferents. Within astrocyte-neuron networks, astrocytes control signals from distinct afferents in a circuit-speci?c manner, but whether this capacity scales up to drive motivated behavior has been undetermined. Using genetic and optical dissection strategies in vitro and during behavior we report that VTA astrocytes tune glutamatergic signaling selectively on local inhibitory neurons to drive a functional circuit for learned avoidance. In this circuit, VTA astrocytes facilitate excitation of local GABA neurons to increase inhibition of dopamine neurons. The increased inhibition of dopamine neurons elicits real-time and learned avoidance behavior that is suf?cient to impede expression of learned preference for reward. Despite the large number of functions performed by astrocytes, loss of one glutamate transporter (GLT-1) from VTA astrocytes selectively blocks these avoidance behaviors and spares preference for reward. Thus, VTA astrocytes selectively regulate excitation of local GABA neurons to drive a distinct learned avoidance circuit that opposes learned approach behavior.