Cholinergic Interneurons Control Local Circuit Activity and Cocaine Conditioning

Abstract

Few But Powerful Drug activation of the different types of acetylcholine receptors in cholinergic neurons often generates opposing or conflicting effects. Using optogenetic techniques in transgenic mice, Witten et al. (p. 1677 ) investigated the function of a rather enigmatic subpopulation of cholinergic neurons, the giant interneurons of the nucleus accumbens. Their excitation paradoxically reduced neighboring medium spiny neuron firing, while their inhibition increased medium spiny neuron firing. Furthermore, the giant interneurons were directly activated by cocaine, and silencing their drug-induced activity during cocaine exposure in freely behaving animals disrupted cocaine reward.