Nucleus Accumbens Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons Projecting to the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis Promote Wakefulness and Positive Affective State.
10.1007/s12264-024-01233-y
- Author:
Gaojie PAN
1
;
Bing ZHAO
1
;
Mutian ZHANG
2
;
Yanan GUO
3
;
Yuhua YAN
1
;
Dan DAI
1
;
Xiaoxi ZHANG
1
;
Hui YANG
1
;
Jinfei NI
1
;
Zhili HUANG
2
;
Xia LI
4
;
Shumin DUAN
5
Author Information
1. Institute for Translational Brain Research, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
2. Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, and Joint International Research Laboratory of Sleep, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
3. Institute of Special Environmental Medicine, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226000, China.
4. Institute of Special Environmental Medicine, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226000, China. lixia7979@ntu.edu.cn.
5. Institute for Translational Brain Research, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China. shumin@fudan.edu.cn.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Anxiolysis;
Bed nucleus of the stria terminalis;
Corticotropin-releasing hormone;
Nucleus accumbens;
Wakefulness
- MeSH:
Animals;
Septal Nuclei/metabolism*;
Nucleus Accumbens/physiology*;
Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone/metabolism*;
Wakefulness/physiology*;
Neurons/metabolism*;
Male;
Mice;
Mice, Inbred C57BL;
Neural Pathways/physiology*;
Anxiety/physiopathology*;
Reward
- From:
Neuroscience Bulletin
2024;40(11):1602-1620
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The nucleus accumbens (NAc) plays an important role in various emotional and motivational behaviors that rely on heightened wakefulness. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the relationship between arousal and emotion regulation in NAc remain unclear. Here, we investigated the roles of a specific subset of inhibitory corticotropin-releasing hormone neurons in the NAc (NAcCRH) in regulating arousal and emotional behaviors in mice. We found an increased activity of NAcCRH neurons during wakefulness and rewarding stimulation. Activation of NAcCRH neurons converts NREM or REM sleep to wakefulness, while inhibition of these neurons attenuates wakefulness. Remarkably, activation of NAcCRH neurons induces a place preference response (PPR) and decreased basal anxiety level, whereas their inactivation induces a place aversion response and anxious state. NAcCRH neurons are identified as the major NAc projection neurons to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). Furthermore, activation of the NAcCRH-BNST pathway similarly induced wakefulness and positive emotional behaviors. Taken together, we identified a basal forebrain CRH pathway that promotes the arousal associated with positive affective states.
