# Cellular-level investigation of the reward circuitry controlling drinking

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2021 · $42,446

## Abstract

Project Summary
 Thirsty animals quickly learn to drink fluids that rehydrate them. This reinforcement learning process is
necessary for the initial development of drinking behavior and the continual development of fluid preferences.
How this learning process works in the brain is not well understood, but likely involves dopamine-releasing
ventral tegmental (VTA DA) neurons. As I show in preliminary data, these VTA DA neurons strongly respond to
changes in blood osmolarity. I propose to examine how VTA DA projections transform fluid state changes into
behavioral reinforcement. This work will significantly further our understanding of the neural circuitry involved in
maintaining fluid balance. Additionally, homeostatic challenges demonstrate the physiological role of the
mesolimbic dopamine system, which is exploited by recreational drugs to promote addictive behavior. Finally,
this project will address the simple yet fundamental question of how the brain can transform an internal
sensation into behavioral reinforcement.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10271268
- **Project number:** 5F31NS120468-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** James Grove
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $42,446
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-19 → 2023-08-18

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10271268

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10271268, Cellular-level investigation of the reward circuitry controlling drinking (5F31NS120468-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10271268. Licensed CC0.

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