TrkB-dependent disinhibition of the nucleus accumbens is enhanced by ethanol

Neuropsychopharmacology. 2019 May;44(6):1114-1122. doi: 10.1038/s41386-019-0341-8. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Abstract

The nucleus accumbens is a critical integration center for reward-related circuitry and is comprised primarily of medium spiny projection neurons. The dynamic balance of excitation and inhibition onto medium spiny neurons determines the output of this structure. While nucleus accumbens excitatory synaptic plasticity is well-characterized, inhibitory synaptic plasticity mechanisms and their potential relevance to shaping motivated behaviors is poorly understood. Here we report the discovery of long-term depression of inhibitory synaptic transmission in the mouse nucleus accumbens core. This long-term depression is postsynaptically expressed, tropomyosin kinase B (TrkB) receptor-mediated, and augmented in the presence of ethanol. Our findings support the emerging view that TrkB signaling regulates inhibitory synaptic plasticity and suggest this mechanism in the nucleus accumbens as a target for ethanol modulation of reward.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Central Nervous System Depressants / pharmacology*
  • Ethanol / pharmacology*
  • Female
  • Long-Term Synaptic Depression* / drug effects
  • Long-Term Synaptic Depression* / physiology
  • Male
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neural Inhibition* / drug effects
  • Neural Inhibition* / physiology
  • Nucleus Accumbens* / drug effects
  • Nucleus Accumbens* / physiology
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction* / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction* / physiology

Substances

  • Central Nervous System Depressants
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Ethanol
  • Ntrk2 protein, mouse
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases