Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel J. Christoffel, Jessica J. Walsh, Paul Hoerbelt, Boris D. Heifets, Pierre Llorach, Ricardo C. Lopez, Charu Ramakrishnan, Karl Deisseroth, Robert C. Malenka
Summary: The study reveals that dopamine and serotonin modulate excitatory synaptic transmission in the nucleus accumbens in input-specific ways, influencing motivated behaviors differently. Endogenous release of DA and 5-HT, as well as optogenetic inhibition, alter the behavioral effects of drugs in distinct manners.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xin-Yue Wang, Wen-Bin Jia, Xiang Xu, Rui Chen, Liang-Biao Wang, Xiao-Jing Su, Peng-Fei Xu, Xiao-Qing Liu, Jie Wen, Xiao-Yuan Song, Yuan-Yuan Liu, Zhi Zhang, Xin-Feng Liu, Yan Zhang
Summary: This study reveals a pathway involving vesicular glutamate transporter 3 neurons and dopamine neurons that plays a crucial role in chronic pain and comorbid anhedonia-like behavior. Chronic neuropathic pain dampens the transmission of glutamate and the neural excitability in this pathway. Activation of this pathway can alleviate pain and comorbid anhedonia-like behavior, while inhibition of this pathway leads to pain-like reflexive hypersensitivity and anhedonia-like behavior.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Dan P. Covey, Edith Hernandez, Miguel A. Lujan, Joseph F. Cheer
Summary: The study found that dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens responds differently to cues signaling increasing cost of reward. Endocannabinoid signaling facilitates goal-seeking and nucleus accumbens dopamine release, while chronic MAGL treatment stably facilitates goal-seeking and dopamine encoding without the development of tolerance.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Felix P. Mayer, Hideki Iwamoto, Maureen K. Hahn, Gregory J. Grumbar, Adele Stewart, Yulong Li, Randy D. Blakely
Summary: The study demonstrates that moving animals from a recording chamber back to a familiar or clean cage triggers dopamine release, showing a similar effect to cocaine injection in the recording chamber. This suggests that returning to a home-like environment can result in DA release, indicating a rewarding stimulus. The findings provide insights into the reward circuitry and offer potential for studying anhedonic states and developing new treatments for mood disorders.
NEUROCHEMISTRY INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Ryota Imai, Keita Mizuno, Yuji Omiya, Kazushige Mizoguchi, Yuko Maejima, Kenju Shimomura
Summary: The study suggests that ninjin'yoeito (NYT) may modulate appetite and motivational behaviors by influencing the activity of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), as well as medium spiny neurons in the nucleus accumbens (NAc).
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Hannah N. Carlson, Carolyn Murphy, Wayne E. Pratt
Summary: The nucleus accumbens plays a critical role in regulating motivated behavior, with dopamine and opioid receptors within it having varying effects on appetitive and consummatory phases of motivation. Stimulation or blockade of different receptor types showed distinct impacts on food intake and sugar-seeking behavior, suggesting differential roles of mu- and 8-opioid receptors in food-directed motivation.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Cajsa Aranaes, Christian E. Edvardsson, Olesya T. Shevchouk, Qian Zhang, Sarah Witley, Sebastian Blid Skoeldheden, Lindsay Zentveld, Daniel Valloef, Maximilian Tufvesson-Alm, Elisabet Jerlhag
Summary: This study found that glucagon-like peptide1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists can reduce alcohol intake and prevent relapse in rodents. The results also showed that semaglutide has a suppressive effect on alcohol-induced behavior and its impact on the brain. These findings suggest that semaglutide may be effective in reducing alcohol consumption and body weight by reducing the rewarding effects of alcohol and its impact on neurons.
Article
Neurosciences
Laurie Hamel, Bilgehan Cavdaroglu, Dylan Yeates, David Nguyen, Sadia Riaz, Dylan Patterson, Nisma Khan, Nardin Kirolos, Katherine Roper, Quynh An Ha, Rutsuko Ito
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the role of the mPFC and NAc in cue-elicited adaptive responding, finding that the mPFC plays a crucial role in regulating nonreinforced cue responding.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Jessica N. Goedhoop, Bastijn J. G. van den Boom, Rhiannon Robke, Felice Veen, Lizz Fellinger, Wouter van Elzelingen, Tara Arbab, Ingo Willuhn
Summary: This study systematically investigates the role of dopamine in processing aversive stimuli and finds that NAC dopamine primarily tracks the prediction and duration of aversive events, rather than aversive prediction errors.
Article
Neurosciences
Elizabeth A. Sneddon, Kristen M. Schuh, John W. Frankel, Anna K. Radke
Summary: The study found that inhibiting the NAc core can reduce compulsive ethanol intake in mice, but exciting the NAc core has no effect. Inhibiting neurons expressing D-1 or D-2 receptors does not alter compulsive ethanol intake.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
David Lindenbach, Giada Vacca, Soyon Ahn, Jeremy K. Seamans, Anthony G. Phillips
Summary: This study found that the glutamatergic vSub-NAc pathway can modulate food-seeking behavior, including 'response vigor', depending on the present motivational state. In a 'low-motivational state' following failure to achieve an anticipated reward, optogenetic activation of this pathway can reinvigorate lever-pressing behavior. Conversely, inhibition of this pathway appears to decrease motivated responding.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Yun Yao, Ge Gao, Kai Liu, Xin Shi, Mingxiu Cheng, Yan Xiong, Sen Song
Summary: The nucleus accumbens shell plays a crucial role in reward and aversion, with D2 neurons having varied effects on behavior based on their location within the NAcSh. Activation of D2 neurons in different regions of the NAcSh can induce different behaviors and affect movement speed. This study sheds light on the controversy surrounding the function of NAcSh D2 neurons and provides new insights into the heterogeneous nature of the NAcSh.
NEUROSCIENCE BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Allison E. Carney, Caitlin Clarke, Wayne E. Pratt
Summary: Previous research has shown that both dopamine and Neuropeptide Y (NPY) play a role in motivated behavior, potentially through interaction within the neural circuitry related to motivation. This study aimed to further understand the relationship between NAc NPY and dopamine and their effects on motivated behavior. The findings suggest that NPY in the NAc shell can improve motivational impairments caused by dopamine antagonism, and these effects are specific to the site of injection. These results imply that increasing NPY expression in neurodegenerative diseases may help alleviate early motivational deficits caused by dopamine depletion.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2023)
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Aviv M. Weinstein
Summary: In the past 20 years, there has been an increasing number of brain imaging studies on the mechanisms underlying reward motivation in humans. This review describes studies on the neural mechanisms associated with reward motivation and their relationships with cognitive function in healthy human participants. The brain's reward circuitry controls reward-motivated behavior, and different regions such as the pre-frontal cortex, thalamus, and insula play specific roles in motivation, cognitive control, and incentive processing. The relationship between reward motivation and other cognitive processes such as learning, memory, and attention is reciprocal. There are also genetic and sex differences in reward motivation, and these studies have implications for understanding addiction, depression, and ADHD.
FRONTIERS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Tong-Yu Liang, Hua Zhou, Yan-Gang Sun
Summary: Ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopaminergic neurons participate in itch processing through their projection to the nucleus accumbens (NAc). The roles of dopamine receptor subtypes in different subregions of the NAc during itch processing were investigated. It was found that dopamine D1 receptors (D1R) blockade in the lateral shell (LaSh) impaired pruritogen-induced scratching behavior, while D2R activation in both LaSh and medial shell (MeSh) attenuated scratching behavior. Dopamine release in LaSh was elevated during scratching behavior, suggesting a motivational component of itch processing. This study highlights the importance of D1R in the LaSh of the NAc in itch signal processing.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Susanna Jakobson Mo, Jan Axelsson, Lars J. Stiernman, Anne Larsson, Sara Af Bjerken, David Backstrom, Therese Gabrielsson Kellgren, Andrea Varrone, Katrine Riklund
Summary: This study investigated the potential impact of polymorphism in the SLC6A3 gene on dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging. The results showed no significant effect of genotype on imaging, instead age had a significant effect on DAT levels.
NUCLEAR MEDICINE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Cristina Sole-Padulles, Didac Macia, Micael Andersson, Mikael Stiernstedt, Sara Pudas, Sandra Duezel, Eniko Zsoldos, Klaus P. Ebmeier, Julia Binnewies, Christian A. Drevon, Andreas M. Brandmaier, Athanasia M. Mowinckel, Anders M. Fjell, Kathrine Skak Madsen, William F. C. Baare, Ulman Lindenberger, Lars Nyberg, Kristine B. Walhovd, David Bartres-Faz
Summary: Loneliness is associated with worsening of verbal episodic memory in older adults, especially in individuals experiencing progressive cognitive decline.
FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elliot M. Tucker-Drob, Javier de la Fuente, Ylva Koehncke, Andreas M. Brandmaier, Lars Nyberg, Ulman Lindenberger
Summary: Theories of adult cognitive development distinguish between fluid abilities, which decline with age, and crystallized abilities, which show gains into old age. In this study, data from two large longitudinal studies showed that rates of change are strongly correlated across these two abilities. Individuals who experience greater declines in fluid abilities tend to show smaller gains or losses in crystallized abilities. These findings suggest a common mechanism driving cognitive decline and maintenance in adulthood.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Carola Wiklund-Hornqvist, Sara Stillesjo, Micael Andersson, Bert Jonsson, Lars Nyberg
Summary: There is an increasing consensus that retrieval practice is beneficial for improving long-term retention and reducing achievement gaps in schools. This study explored the relationship between retrieval practice and individual differences in need for cognition (NFC) using behavioral and fMRI data. Results showed that retrieval practice was effective for individuals with both high and low levels of NFC. These findings have direct implications for educational practice.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Experimental
Loretxu Bergouignan, Lars Nyberg, H. Henrik Ehrsson
Summary: This study tested the hypothesis that people adopt a third-person perspective in recall, using a perceptual out-of-body illusion during the encoding of real events. The results showed that an out-of-body experience leads to more third-person perspective during recollection.
JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Benjamin Garzon, Zeb Kurth-Nelson, Lars Backman, Lars Nyberg, Marc Guitart-Masip
Summary: Delay discounting is an important behavioral phenomenon, but its neurobiological mechanisms are not well understood. This study used a large dataset to investigate the associations between delay discounting and memory performance, as well as gray and white matter correlates. The results showed that greater delay discounting was related to smaller anterior temporal gray matter volume. However, other associations with cortical volume, subcortical volumes, white matter organization, and memory scores were not significant after controlling for education and income. The study highlights the need for larger sample sizes and appropriate statistical methods to address inconsistencies in previous research, as well as the improvement of task parameter reliability in studying the relationship between brain structure, cognitive abilities, and delay discounting.
Article
Neurosciences
Kristin Nordin, Tetiana Gorbach, Robin Pedersen, Vania Panes Lundmark, Jarkko Johansson, Micael Andersson, Charlotte McNulty, Katrine Riklund, Anders Wahlin, Goran Papenberg, Gregoria Kalpouzos, Lars Backman, Alireza Salami
Summary: The concomitant exploration of structural, functional, and neurochemical brain mechanisms underlying age-related cognitive decline is essential for promoting healthy aging. The DyNAMiC project is a multimodal longitudinal study that aims to examine changes in brain connectome and dopamine receptors in relation to cognitive decline across the adult lifespan. Initial analyses have revealed age-related variations in D1DR and D2DR, as well as performance across multiple cognitive domains. This study, being the largest D1DR study worldwide, will provide valuable insights into the brain mechanisms underlying age-related cognitive decline.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Bryn Farnsworth von Cederwald, Maria Josefsson, Anders Wahlin, Lars Nyberg, Nina Karalija
Summary: The study found that the longitudinal trajectory of cardiovascular risk is predictive of dementia risk and associated with the emergence of memory decline. Therefore, clinical practice may benefit from directing interventions at individuals with accelerating cardiovascular risk.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Otto Lilja-Lund, Lars Nyberg, Martin Maripuu, Katarina Laurell
Summary: This study aimed to investigate whether older adults with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) were more susceptible to dual-task interference on walking than those without iNPH. The results showed that the Possible iNPH group, compared to the Unlikely iNPH group, was older, stopped walking more frequently during the conversation, and had a slower single-task pace. Both groups exhibited a slower dual-task pace. Single-task walking pace was found to predict Possible iNPH when adjusted for age. The study highlights the dual-task cost on gait performance, but this cost is not exclusive to individuals with Possible iNPH.
FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Maryam Noroozian, Reza Kormi-Nouri, Lars Nyberg, Jonas Persson
Summary: This study investigated the impact of motor involvement ability on brain structure during memory encoding. Results showed that individuals with low or declining ability to benefit from motor involvement during memory encoding had smaller gray matter volume in regions critical for memory and motor functions, as well as altered white matter integrity. Furthermore, the type of dopamine-regulating genes was also associated with motor involvement ability.
Article
Neurosciences
Lars Nyberg, Micael Andersson, Anders Lundquist, William F. C. Baare, David Bartres-Faz, Lars Bertram, Carl-Johan Boraxbekk, Andreas M. Brandmaier, Naiara Demnitz, Christian A. Drevon, Sandra Duezel, Klaus P. Ebmeier, Paolo Ghisletta, Richard Henson, Daria E. A. Jensen, Rogier A. Kievit, Ethan Knights, Simone Kuhn, Ulman Lindenberger, Anna Plachti, Sara Pudas, James M. Roe, Kathrine Skak Madsen, Cristina Sole-Padulles, Yasmine Sommerer, Sana Suri, Eniko Zsoldos, Anders M. Fjell, Kristine B. Walhovd
Summary: We found heterogeneity in regional-atrophy patterns through latent-profile analysis of 1,482 longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging observations. The results supported a 2-group solution reflecting differences in atrophy rates in cortical regions and hippocampus along with comparable caudate atrophy. Our findings suggest distinct mechanisms of atrophy in striatal versus hippocampal-cortical systems.
Article
Psychiatry
Bryn Farnsworth von Cederwald, Jarkko Johansson, Katrine Riklund, Nina Karalija, Carl-Johan Boraxbekk
Summary: Age-related dopamine reductions have been suggested to contribute to maladaptive working memory function in older ages. Increasing physical activity can improve working memory through plasticity of the striatal dopamine system, but its efficacy may vary due to individual differences. This study found that physical activity intervention improved striatal dopamine D2-like receptor availability and working memory performance in individuals with no or mild white-matter lesions, but had no effect in individuals with moderate-to-severe lesions. The findings highlight the importance of considering cerebrovascular health in interventions targeting neurocognitive outcomes.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Lars Stiernman, Filip Grill, Charlotte McNulty, Philip Bahrd, Vania Panes Lundmark, Jan Axelsson, Alireza Salami, Anna Rieckmann
Summary: A common observation in fMRI studies is that older adults show overactivations compared with young adults during less demanding tasks. The neuronal underpinnings of such overactivations are believed to be compensatory in nature and involve recruitment of additional neural resources. This study used hybrid positron emission tomography/MRI to scan young and older healthy adults, and found that task-induced changes in the BOLD signal and glucose metabolism converge, but overactivations observed in older adults are not coupled with increased synaptic activity.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Psychology, Clinical
Pia Elbe, Christian Backlund, Mariana Vega-Mendoza, Daniel Sorman, Hanna Malmberg Gavelin, Lars Nyberg, Jessica K. Ljungberg
Summary: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we evaluated the outcomes of computerized cognitive training (CCT) interventions for adults with ADHD. The results showed a small positive effect on overall cognitive functioning, but no significant improvement in symptom severity or specific cognitive outcomes. The findings suggest the potential benefit of CCT for adults with ADHD, but more research with diverse intervention designs is needed.
Article
Clinical Neurology
David Backstrom, Gabriel Granasen, Susanna Jakobson Mo, Katrine Riklund, Miles Trupp, Henrik Zetterberg, Kaj Blennow, Lars Forsgren, Magdalena Eriksson Domellof
Summary: In a population-based cohort of patients with new-onset Parkinson disease, approximately half develop dementia within 10 years. Measurement of CSF biomarkers together with baseline cognitive function, olfaction, and motor disease severity has high accuracy for predicting who will develop dementia.
BRAIN COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
