Author:
Chaves Tiago,Török Bibiána,Fazekas Csilla,Correia Pedro,Karailiev Peter,Oravcova Henrieta,Sipos Eszter,Biró László,Haller József,Jezova Daniela,Zelena Dóra
Abstract
AbstractLearning and memory are important in everyday life as well as in pathological conditions. The median raphe region (MRR) contributes to memory formation; however, its precise role and the neurotransmitters involved have yet to be elucidated. To address this issue, we stimulated the MRR neurons of mice by chemogenetic technique and studied them in the operant conditioning and active avoidance tests. The virus carrier infected a variety of neuron types including both GABAergic and glutamatergic ones. Behavior was not influenced by stimulation. We hypothesize that the lack of effect was due to opposing effects exerted via GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons. Therefore, next we used VGAT-Cre mice that allowed the specific manipulation of MRR-GABAergic neurons. The stimulation did not affect behavior in the learning phase of the operant conditioning task, but increased reward preference and total responses when operant contingencies were reversed. The enhanced responsiveness might be a proclivity to impulsive behavior. Stimulation facilitated learning in the active avoidance test but did not affect reversal learning in this paradigm. Our findings suggest that MRR-GABAergic neurons are involved in both learning and reversal learning, but the type of learning that is affected depends on the task.
Funder
Mobility program between the Hungarian and Slovak Academy of Sciences
Thematic Excellence Program 2021 Health Sub-program of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology in Hungary
National Brain Research Program of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
National Research Development and Innovation Office of Hungary
University of Pécs
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC