# Interaction of Glutamatergic Inputs to Nucleus Accumbens

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2021 · $195,885

## Abstract

Abstract
The nucleus accumbens shell (NAcSh) receives glutamatergic projections from several limbic and paralimbic
brain regions, with each projection presumably conveying different aspects of emotional and motivational
arousals. In motivated behaviors, these excitatory inputs are typically activated concurrently, sending
converging excitatory inputs to medium spiny neurons (MSNs), principal neurons in the NAcSh. While recent
techniques allow for dissecting individual NAcSh projections, it remains largely unknown whether different
NAcSh projections interact with each other when co-activated, and, if so, what the anatomical basis underlies
these interactions. To start to address these knowledge gaps, this R21 application focuses on two prominent
glutamatergic inputs to the NAcSh, the projections from the basolateral amygdala (BLAp) and paraventricular
nucleus of the thalamus (PVTp). Both BLAp and PVTp form monosynaptic contacts onto NAcSh MSNs, but
they are differentially involved in NAcSh-based behaviors. With the dual-rhodopsin expression system
controlled by tow lasers with different wavelengths, we can simultaneously and independently activate BLAp
and PVTp synaptic transmission to the same MSNs. The preliminary results show that a brief co-activation of
these two projections induced a short-term potentiation in BLAp transmission but a short-term depression in
PVTp transmission. Thus, co-activation temporarily boosted the informational flow through the BLAp while
constrained the informational flow through the PCTp. These results not only indicate a clear functional
interaction between the BLAp and PVTp, but also provide a potential circuit mechanism through which some
motivational arousals override others under certain conditions. The first objective of this application is to
extend these preliminary findings by exploring how BLAp and PVTp synapses functionally interact with each
other on NAcSh MSNs. Using the dual-color SynapTag technique combined with postsynaptic filling, the
second objective of this application is to determine the anatomical arrangement of the BLAp and PVTp that
confers the functional interaction of these two projections. Outcomes of the proposed experiments may
provide essential functional and anatomical mechanisms through which different aspects of emotional and
motivational arousals interact and coordinate for behavioral prioritization.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10217090
- **Project number:** 5R21DA051010-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** Yan Dong
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $195,885
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-08-01 → 2023-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10217090

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10217090, Interaction of Glutamatergic Inputs to Nucleus Accumbens (5R21DA051010-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10217090. Licensed CC0.

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