RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 VTA Projection Neurons Releasing GABA and Glutamate in the Dentate Gyrus
JF eneuro
JO eneuro
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP ENEURO.0137-16.2016
DO 10.1523/ENEURO.0137-16.2016
VO 3
IS 4
A1 Ntamati, Niels R.
A1 Lüscher, Christian
YR 2016
UL http://www.eneuro.org/content/3/4/ENEURO.0137-16.2016.abstract
AB Both dopamine and nondopamine neurons from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) project to a variety of brain regions. Here we examine nondopaminergic neurons in the mouse VTA that send long-range projections to the hippocampus. Using a combination of retrograde tracers, optogenetic tools, and electrophysiological recordings, we show that VTA GABAergic axons make synaptic contacts in the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus, where we can elicit small postsynaptic currents. Surprisingly, the currents displayed a partial sensitivity to both bicuculline and NBQX, suggesting that these mesohippocampal neurons corelease both GABA and glutamate. Finally, we show that this projection is functional in vivo and its stimulation reduces granule cell-firing rates under anesthesia. Altogether, the present results describe a novel connection between GABA and glutamate coreleasing of cells of the VTA and the dentate gyrus. This connection could be relevant for a variety of functions, including reward-related memory and neurogenesis.