Training-induced circuit-specific excitatory synaptogenesis in mice is required for effort control

Bibliographic Details
Title: Training-induced circuit-specific excitatory synaptogenesis in mice is required for effort control
Authors: Francesco Paolo Ulloa Severino, Oluwadamilola O. Lawal, Kristina Sakers, Shiyi Wang, Namsoo Kim, Alexander David Friedman, Sarah Anne Johnson, Chaichontat Sriworarat, Ryan H. Hughes, Scott H. Soderling, Il Hwan Kim, Henry H. Yin, Cagla Eroglu
Source: Nature Communications, Vol 14, Iss 1, Pp 1-22 (2023)
Publisher Information: Nature Portfolio, 2023.
Publication Year: 2023
Collection: LCC:Science
Subject Terms: Science
More Details: Abstract Synaptogenesis is essential for circuit development; however, it is unknown whether it is critical for the establishment and performance of goal-directed voluntary behaviors. Here, we show that operant conditioning via lever-press for food reward training in mice induces excitatory synapse formation onto a subset of anterior cingulate cortex neurons projecting to the dorsomedial striatum (ACC→DMS). Training-induced synaptogenesis is controlled by the Gabapentin/Thrombospondin receptor α2δ−1, which is an essential neuronal protein for proper intracortical excitatory synaptogenesis. Using germline and conditional knockout mice, we found that deletion of α2δ−1 in the adult ACC→DMS circuit diminishes training-induced excitatory synaptogenesis. Surprisingly, this manipulation does not impact learning but results in a significant increase in effort exertion without affecting sensitivity to reward value or changing contingencies. Bidirectional optogenetic manipulation of ACC→DMS neurons rescues or phenocopies the behaviors of the α2δ−1 cKO mice, highlighting the importance of synaptogenesis within this cortico-striatal circuit in regulating effort exertion.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2041-1723
Relation: https://doaj.org/toc/2041-1723
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41078-z
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/9364fb91fdb84768b77cbf35ca5208f4
Accession Number: edsdoj.9364fb91fdb84768b77cbf35ca5208f4
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:20411723
DOI:10.1038/s41467-023-41078-z
Published in:Nature Communications
Language:English