Major
Psychology
Anticipated Graduation Year
2025
Access Type
Open Access
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that in both mice and rats, glutamatergic inputs from the Laterodorsal Tegmental Nucleus (LDTg) to the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) result in rewarding effects. Little is known about the role of afferent inputs to the LDTg in reward function. The Lateral Hypothalamus (LH) is a critical part of the brain’s reward circuitry and projects to the LDTg. We plan to test whether optogenetic excitation of the lateral hypothalamus (LH) glutamatergic input to the LDTg is reinforcing in mice.
Faculty Mentors & Instructors
Dr. Stephan Steidl, Department of Psychology
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Investigating the Reinforcing Effects of Optogenetic Stimulation of Lateral Hypothalamus Projections to the Laterodorsal Tegmental Nucleus and Pedunculopontine Tegmental Nucleus in Mice
Previous studies have shown that in both mice and rats, glutamatergic inputs from the Laterodorsal Tegmental Nucleus (LDTg) to the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) result in rewarding effects. Little is known about the role of afferent inputs to the LDTg in reward function. The Lateral Hypothalamus (LH) is a critical part of the brain’s reward circuitry and projects to the LDTg. We plan to test whether optogenetic excitation of the lateral hypothalamus (LH) glutamatergic input to the LDTg is reinforcing in mice.
