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A hippocampus-accumbens code guides goal-directed appetitive behavior

Author

Listed:
  • Oliver Barnstedt

    (Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology
    German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)
    Otto-von-Guericke University)

  • Petra Mocellin

    (Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology
    School for Brain & Behavior (IMPRS)
    University of California)

  • Stefan Remy

    (Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology
    German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)
    Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS)
    partner site Halle-Jena-Magdeburg)

Abstract

The dorsal hippocampus (dHPC) is a key brain region for the expression of spatial memories, such as navigating towards a learned reward location. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a prominent projection target of dHPC and implicated in value-based action selection. Yet, the contents of the dHPC→NAc information stream and their acute role in behavior remain largely unknown. Here, we found that optogenetic stimulation of the dHPC→NAc pathway while mice navigated towards a learned reward location was both necessary and sufficient for spatial memory-related appetitive behaviors. To understand the task-relevant coding properties of individual NAc-projecting hippocampal neurons (dHPC→NAc), we used in vivo dual-color two-photon imaging. In contrast to other dHPC neurons, the dHPC→NAc subpopulation contained more place cells, with enriched spatial tuning properties. This subpopulation also showed enhanced coding of non-spatial task-relevant behaviors such as deceleration and appetitive licking. A generalized linear model revealed enhanced conjunctive coding in dHPC→NAc neurons which improved the identification of the reward zone. We propose that dHPC routes specific reward-related spatial and behavioral state information to guide NAc action selection.

Suggested Citation

  • Oliver Barnstedt & Petra Mocellin & Stefan Remy, 2024. "A hippocampus-accumbens code guides goal-directed appetitive behavior," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-20, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-47361-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47361-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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