Bernardo Sabatini - Dopaminergic control of cellular state and action selection

ViDA 2021 - Wed June 23rd 2021
Bernardo Sabatini
Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, HHMI
Dopaminergic control of cellular state and action selection
Dopamine is known to reinforce actions which, when performed in the right sensory context, led to its release. This is thought to occur via temporally restricted actions on direct and indirect pathway neurons of the striatum. Here we discuss how dopaminergic neuron firing affects the electrical and biochemical state of direct and indirect pathway striatum projection neurons. Furthermore, we demonstrate how the effects of dopamine on each neuron class depends on the receptors they express and how these vary during behavior. Lastly, we present a model for how these effects contribute to action reinforcement and devaluation.