TY - JOUR T1 - The good and bad differentially encoded within the subthalamic nucleus in rats JF - eneuro JO - eneuro DO - 10.1523/ENEURO.0014-15.2015 SP - ENEURO.0014-15.2015 AU - Emmanuel Breysse AU - Yann Pelloux AU - Christelle Baunez Y1 - 2015/09/28 UR - http://www.eneuro.org/content/early/2015/09/28/ENEURO.0014-15.2015.abstract N2 - The subthalamic nucleus (STN) has only been recently added into the reward circuit. It has been shown to encode information regarding rewards (4%, 32% sucrose and cocaine). To investigate the encoding of negative value, STN neurons were recorded in rats performing a task using discriminative stimuli predicting various rewards and especially during the replacement of a positive reinforcer (4% sucrose) by an aversive reinforcer (quinine). The results show that STN neurons encode information relative to both positive and aversive reinforcers via specialized subpopulations. The specialization is reset when the context is modified (change from a favourable context (4% vs 32% sucrose) to an unfavorable context (quinine vs 32% sucrose). Excitatory response to the cue-light predicting the reward seems to be associated with the preferred situation, suggesting that STN plays a role in encoding the relative value of rewards.STN also seems to play a critical role in the encoding of execution error. Indeed, various subpopulations of neurons responding exclusively at early (i.e. “oops neurons”) or at correct lever release were identified. The “oops neurons” respond mostly when the preferred reward (32% sucrose) is missed. Furthermore, STN neurons respond to reward omission, suggesting a role in reward prediction error. These properties of STN neurons strengthen its position in the reward circuit as a key cerebral structure through which reward-related processes are mediated. It is particularly important given the fact that STN is the target of surgical treatment for Parkinson’s disease, obsessive compulsive disorders and suggested for addiction as well.Significance Statement: STN neurons encode information relative to both positive (sucrose) and aversive (quinine) reinforcers via specialized subpopulations of neurons responding to one reinforcer depending on the context (i.e. the reinforcers available). When the context is modified, the specialisation of most neurons is reset. An activation of the STN seems to be associated with the most favorable situations. (preferred reward). STN neurons also show reward prediction error-type responses. These properties strengthen its position in the reward circuit as a key cerebral structure through which reward-related processes are mediated. It is particularly important since STN is the target of surgical treatment for Parkinson’s disease (Benabid, 2007), obsessive compulsive disorders (Mallet et al., 2008) and proposed for addiction as well (Pelloux and Baunez, 2013). ER -