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Glutamic Acid Release by Dopamine Neurons Plays a Crucial Role in Motivated Behaviors

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Recent studies have shed light on the critical role of glutamic acid release by dopamine neurons in motivated behaviors. A report from the University of California, Emeryville, presents fresh data on this phenomenon, revealing that dopaminergic terminals in the nucleus accumbens, but not the dorsal striatum, corelease glutamate. This coincident signaling by dopamine and glutamate is thought to be essential for various motivated behaviors, including responses to motivationally significant stimuli.

Key Takeaways:

  • Dopaminergic terminals in the nucleus accumbens corelease glutamate, whereas those in the dorsal striatum do not.
  • The ability of nucleus accumbens-projecting dopamine neurons to synchronously activate both dopamine and glutamate receptors has crucial implications for responding to motivationally significant stimuli.
  • Vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2) is required for the exocytotic release of glutamate from dopamine neurons.
  • Conditional knockout of VGLUT2 in dopamine neurons completely abolished all optically evoked glutamate release.
  • The study provides definitive physiological evidence for VGLUT2-mediated glutamate release by mature dopamine neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens but not to the dorsal striatum.
  • G.D. Stuber and colleagues conducted the research at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, Emeryville, California, and published the results in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Statistics:

  • 24: The Journal of Neuroscience volume number in which the study was published.
  • 8229-33: The page numbers of the study in the Journal of Neuroscience.
  • 2010: The year the study was published.
  • 30: The issue number of the Journal of Neuroscience in which the study was published.
  • NAc: The nucleus accumbens part of the brain involved in the study.
  • Corelease: The ratio of glutamate to dopamine released by dopaminergic terminals in the nucleus accumbens.

Sources:

  • Stuber, G. D., et al. "Dopaminergic terminals in the nucleus accumbens but not the dorsal striatum corelease glutamate." Journal of Neuroscience 30.24 (2010): 8229-33.
  • Science Letter. "Fresh Data on Glutamic Acid Released by Dopamine Neurons." NewsRx.com, 2011.

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