Browsing by Author "Ghoshal, Soham"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Opposing roles for striatonigral and striatopallidal neurons in dorsolateral striatum in consolidating new instrumental actions
    Smith, Alexander C. W.; Jonkman, Sietse; DiFeliceantonio, Alexandra G.; O'Connor, Richard M.; Ghoshal, Soham; Romano, Michael F.; Everitt, Barry J.; Kenny, Paul J. (2021-08-25)
    Comparatively little is known about how new instrumental actions are encoded in the brain. Using whole-brain c-Fos mapping, we show that neural activity is increased in the anterior dorsolateral striatum (aDLS) of mice that successfully learn a new lever-press response to earn food rewards. Post-learning chemogenetic inhibition of aDLS disrupts consolidation of the new instrumental response. Similarly, post-learning infusion of the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin into the aDLS disrupts consolidation of the new response. Activity of D1 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs) increases and D2-MSNs activity decreases in the aDLS during consolidation. Chemogenetic inhibition of D1-MSNs in aDLS disrupts the consolidation process whereas D2-MSN inhibition strengthens consolidation but blocks the expression of previously learned habit-like responses. These findings suggest that D1-MSNs in the aDLS encode new instrumental actions whereas D2-MSNs oppose this new learning and instead promote expression of habitual actions. New instrumental learning occurs through an unexpected delivery of a rewarding stimulus or the withdrawal of a punishing stimulus. The authors show that D1 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the anterior dorsolateral striatum encode newly learned instrumental actions whereas D2 MSNs promote the expression of habitual actions.