Cited by 469Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchNeural and Behavioral Psychology Studies

Dorsal raphe neurons signal reward through 5-HT and glutamate

Open access
Liu, Zhixiang, Zhou, Jingfeng, Li, Yi, Hu, Fei, Lu, Yao, Ma, Ming, Feng, Qiru, Zhang, Ju-en +7 more·2014·Neuron

Abstract

The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) in the midbrain is a key center for serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT)-expressing neurons. Serotonergic neurons in the DRN have been theorized to encode punishment by opposing the reward signaling of dopamine neurons. Here, we show that DRN neurons encode reward, but not punishment, through 5-HT and glutamate. Optogenetic stimulation of DRN Pet-1 neurons reinforces mice to explore the stimulation-coupled spatial region, shifts sucrose preference, drives optical self-stimulation, and directs sensory discrimination learning. DRN Pet-1 neurons increase their firing activity during reward tasks, and this activation can be used to rapidly change neuronal activity patterns in the cortex. Although DRN Pet-1 neurons are often associated with 5-HT, they also release glutamate, and both neurotransmitters contribute to reward signaling. These experiments demonstrate the ability of DRN neurons to organize reward behaviors and might provide insights into the underlying mechanisms of learning facilitation and anhedonia treatment.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.02.010

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  • Optogenetic stimulation of DRN neurons led to exploration of stimulation-coupled spatial regions, shift in sucrose preference, optical self-stimulation, and guidance of sensory discrimination learning on a behavioral level.

    “Optogenetic stimulation of DRN neurons led to exploration of stimulation-coupled spatial regions, shift in sucrose preference, optical self-stimulation, and guidance of sensory discrimination learning on a behavioral level.”

    From Circuit Mechanisms of Reward, Anhedonia, and Depression (2019) · cites this paper as Liu et al., 2014

  • Blockage of either serotonin synthesis or glutamate release resulted in partial impairments in reward experiments.

    “Blockage of either serotonin synthesis or glutamate release resulted in partial impairments in reward experiments (Liu et al., 2014).”

    From Circuit Mechanisms of Reward, Anhedonia, and Depression (2019) · cites this paper as Liu et al., 2014

  • An animal study showed that the DRN increases firing rates during reward-associated tasks and that effects are mediated via the serotonergic and glutamatergic system on a postsynaptic level.

    “Importantly, an animal study showed that the DRN increases firing rates during reward-associated tasks and that effects are mediated via the serotonergic and glutamatergic system on a postsynaptic level.”

    From Circuit Mechanisms of Reward, Anhedonia, and Depression (2019) · cites this paper as Liu et al., 2014

  • About 60% of DR serotonin neurons co-express the vesicular glutamate transporter Vglut3 in the rat and co-release glutamate in the mouse.

    “~60% of DR serotonin neurons co-express the vesicular glutamate transporter Vglut3 in the rat (Gras et al., 2002) and co-release glutamate in the mouse (Liu et al., 2014; Sengupta et al., 2017).”
  • Recent studies on acute activation of DR serotonin neurons have reported divergent findings, including reinforcement, promotion of waiting for delayed reward, promotion of anxiety-like behaviors and suppression of locomotion, and suppression of locomotion without effects on reinforcement or anxiety-like behaviors.

    “recent studies on the effects of acute activation of DR serotonin neurons have reported divergent findings, including reinforcement (Liu et al., 2014), promotion of waiting for delayed reward rather than reinforcement (Fonseca et al., 2015; Miyazaki et al., 2012), promotion of anxiety-like behaviors and suppression of locomotion (Teissier et al., 2015; Urban et al., 2016), and suppression of locom”

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1 of the 68 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Amit Z Smith BR Gill K 1991 Serotonin uptake inhibitors: effects on motivated consummatory behaviors J Clin Psychiatry 52 55 1752861
  2. Nakamura K Matsumoto M Hikosaka O 2008b Reward-dependent modulation of neuronal activity in the primate dorsal raphe nucleus J Neurosci 28 5331 5343 18480289 PMC3329731

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Authors
Liu, Z., Zhou, J., Li, Y., Hu, F., Lu, Y., Ma, M., Feng, Q., Zhang, J.-E., Wang, D., Zeng, J., Bao, J., Kim, J.-Y., Chen, Z.-F., El Mestikawy, S., & Luo, M.
Affiliations
  • Beijing Normal University (CN)
  • Peking University (CN)
  • Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College (CN)
  • National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing (CN)
  • Washington University in St. Louis (US)
Corresponding author
Luo, Minmin
Venue
Neuron
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2014-03
Volume
81
Issue
6
Pages
1360-1374
ISSN
0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2060357443
Cited by
469
References
68
Citations by year
2026: 23 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 41 · 2023: 39 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 39 · 2020: 39 · 2019: 44 · 2018: 41 · 2017: 46 · 2016: 45 · 2015: 35 · 2014: 18
FWCI
21.93
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuron (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (R01AR056318, AR056318)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
Keywords
dorsal raphe nucleus, serotonin, glutamate, reward signaling, optogenetic stimulation, sucrose preference, self-stimulation, anhedonia, dopamine, punishment
MeSH terms
Animals, Behavior, Animal, Mesencephalon, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Transgenic, Neurons, Raphe Nuclei, Reward, Serotonin, Glutamic Acid, Mice

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