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Cholinergic midbrain afferents modulate striatal circuits and shape encoding of action strategies

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel Dautan

    (Rutgers University
    University of Leicester
    University of Oxford
    Italian Institute of Technology)

  • Icnelia Huerta-Ocampo

    (Rutgers University
    University of Oxford)

  • Nadine K. Gut

    (Rutgers University)

  • Miguel Valencia

    (CIMA
    Navarra Institute for Health Research)

  • Krishnakanth Kondabolu

    (Rutgers University)

  • Yuwoong Kim

    (Rutgers University)

  • Todor V. Gerdjikov

    (University of Leicester)

  • Juan Mena-Segovia

    (Rutgers University)

Abstract

Assimilation of novel strategies into a consolidated action repertoire is a crucial function for behavioral adaptation and cognitive flexibility. Acetylcholine in the striatum plays a pivotal role in such adaptation, and its release has been causally associated with the activity of cholinergic interneurons. Here we show that the midbrain, a previously unknown source of acetylcholine in the striatum, is a major contributor to cholinergic transmission in the striatal complex. Neurons of the pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei synapse with striatal cholinergic interneurons and give rise to excitatory responses. Furthermore, they produce uniform inhibition of spiny projection neurons. Inhibition of acetylcholine release from midbrain terminals in the striatum impairs the association of contingencies and the formation of habits in an instrumental task, and mimics the effects observed following inhibition of acetylcholine release from striatal cholinergic interneurons. These results suggest the existence of two hierarchically-organized modes of cholinergic transmission in the striatum, where cholinergic interneurons are modulated by cholinergic neurons of the midbrain.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Dautan & Icnelia Huerta-Ocampo & Nadine K. Gut & Miguel Valencia & Krishnakanth Kondabolu & Yuwoong Kim & Todor V. Gerdjikov & Juan Mena-Segovia, 2020. "Cholinergic midbrain afferents modulate striatal circuits and shape encoding of action strategies," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-15514-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15514-3
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    Cited by:

    1. Miguel Skirzewski & Oren Princz-Lebel & Liliana German-Castelan & Alycia M. Crooks & Gerard Kyungwook Kim & Sophie Henke Tarnow & Amy Reichelt & Sara Memar & Daniel Palmer & Yulong Li & R. Jane Rylett, 2022. "Continuous cholinergic-dopaminergic updating in the nucleus accumbens underlies approaches to reward-predicting cues," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-21, December.

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