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The Journal of Neuroscience, October 15, 2008, 28(42):10496-10508; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2291-08.2008

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Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive
Cannabinoid Receptors in the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis Control Cortical Excitation of Midbrain Dopamine Cells In Vivo

Léma Massi,1,2 * Izaskun Elezgarai,3 * Nagore Puente,1,2,3 Leire Reguero,3 Pedro Grandes,3 Olivier J. Manzoni,1,2 {dagger} and François Georges1,2 {dagger}

Pathophysiology of Synaptic Plasticity Group, INSERM, U862, 1Neurocentre Magendie and 2Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, F-33000, France, and 3Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Basque Country University, 699-48080 Bilbao, Spain

Correspondence should be addressed to either of the following at their above addresses: Olivier J. Manzoni, Email: olivier.mazoni{at}inserm.fr; or François Georges, E-mail: Email: francois.georges{at}inserm.fr

The endocannabinoid system is involved in multiple physiological functions including reward. Cannabinoids potently control the activity of midbrain dopamine cells, but the contribution of cortical projections in this phenomenon is unclear. We show that the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) efficient relays cortical excitation to dopamine neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Anatomical and in vivo electrophysiological evidence demonstrate that excitatory projections arising exclusively from the infralimbic cortex converge on BNST neurons, which in turn project to and excite >80% VTA dopamine cells. At the ultrastructural level, cannabinoid type 1 receptors are detected within the BNST on axon terminals arising from the infralimbic cortex. We found that intra-BNST infusion of a cannabinoid agonist inhibits the firing of dopamine cells evoked by stimulation of the infralimbic cortex. Our data identify a new neuronal substrate for the actions of cannabinoids in the reward pathway.

Key words: cannabinoid; prefrontal cortex; bed nucleus of the stria terminalis; ventral tegmental area; dopamine cells; reward

Received May 21, 2008; revised Aug. 19, 2008; accepted Sept. 4, 2008.

Correspondence should be addressed to either of the following at their above addresses: Olivier J. Manzoni, Email: olivier.mazoni{at}inserm.fr; or François Georges, E-mail: Email: francois.georges{at}inserm.fr




This article has been cited by other articles:


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S. Caille, K. Guillem, M. Cador, O. Manzoni, and F. Georges
Voluntary Nicotine Consumption Triggers In Vivo Potentiation of Cortical Excitatory Drives to Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons
J. Neurosci., August 19, 2009; 29(33): 10410 - 10415.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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