Cited by 241Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorRegulation of Appetite and ObesityOlfactory and Sensory Function Studies

Ventral pallidum firing codes hedonic reward: when a bad taste turns good

Tindell, Amy J., Smith, Kyle S., Peciña, Susana, Berridge, Kent C., Aldridge, J. Wayne·2006·Journal of Neurophysiology

Abstract

The ventral pallidum (VP) is a key structure in brain mesocorticolimbic reward circuits that mediate "liking" reactions to sensory pleasures. Do firing patterns in VP actually code sensory pleasure? Strong evidence for hedonic coding requires showing that neural signals track positive increases in sensory pleasure or even reversals from bad to good. A useful test is the salt alliesthesia of physiological sodium depletion that makes even aversively intense NaCl taste become palatable and "liked." We compared VP neural firing activity in rats during aversive "disliking" reactions elicited by a noxiously intense NaCl taste (triple-seawater 1.5 M concentration) in normal homeostatic state versus in a physiological salt appetite state that made the same NaCl taste palatable and elicit positive "liking" reactions. We also compared firing elicited by palatable sucrose taste, which always elicited "liking" reactions in both states. A dramatic doubling in the amplitude of VP neural firing peaks to NaCl was caused by salt appetite that matched the affective switch from aversive ("disliking") to positive hedonic ("liking") reactions. By contrast, VP neural activity to "liked" sucrose taste was always high and never altered. In summary, VP firing activity selectively tracks the hedonic values of tastes, even across hedonic reversals caused by physiological changes. Our data provide the strongest evidence yet for neural hedonic coding of natural sensory pleasures and suggest, by extension, how abnormalities in VP firing patterns might contribute to clinical hedonic dysfunctions.

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Crossref · 10.1152/jn.00576.2006

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  • In rodents, the firing of ventral pallidal neurons in response to an intense salt solution tracks behavioral changes in hedonic processing between normal and salt-deprived states.

    “the response patterns of VP neurons closely tracked such behavioral changes, showing a dramatic increase in response to the salt-solution in the deprived relative to the normal state [69].”

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Authors
Tindell, A. J., Smith, K. S., Peciña, S., Berridge, K. C., & Aldridge, J. W.
Affiliations
University of Michigan (US)
Venue
Journal of Neurophysiology
Published
2006-11
Volume
96
Issue
5
Pages
2399-2409
ISSN
  • 0022-3077 (ISSN-L)
  • 1522-1598
OpenAlex
W2101594326
Cited by
241
References
65
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 20
FWCI
7.20
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Journal of Neurophysiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Mental Health (MH-63649, R01MH063649)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA017752, DA-017752, DA015188, R01DA015188)
  • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (DC-00011)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
Keywords
ventral pallidum, reward, taste aversion, sodium depletion, salt appetite, sucrose taste, neuronal firing
MeSH terms
Animals, Biomechanical Phenomena, Data Interpretation, Statistical, Electrodes, Implanted, Electrophysiology, Globus Pallidus, Limbic System, Male, Neurons, Reward, Sucrose, Taste, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Sodium Chloride, Dietary, Rats

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