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other·preclinical research, biomedical research, neurology, nutrition·PMC10618099

Disentangling the role of NAc D1 and D2 cells in hedonic eating

Molecular Psychiatry · 5 authors, 1 centre

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TL;DR

This study used cell-specific recording and optogenetic manipulation in mice to show that distinct populations of nucleus accumbens D1 and D2 neurons play complementary roles in encoding and promoting different aspects of hedonic eating ('liking' and 'wanting').

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The study used in vivo fiber photometry and optogenetics in D1-cre and Adora2a-cre mice to investigate nucleus accumbens shell D1 and D2 cell activity during free consumption of a palatable milkshake. It found that D1 cell activity was transiently increased while D2 cell activity was transiently increased then suppressed during consumption. Lick microstructure analysis indicated D1 and D2 cells encoded distinct aspects of 'liking' and 'wanting'. Optogenetic control confirmed causal links, showing D1 cells were sufficient to switch food preference and program long-lasting overconsumption.

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other

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preclinical research

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100% · A

ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10618099

Disentangling the role of NAc D1 and D2 cells in hedonic eating

Molecular Psychiatry

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ABSTRACT

Overeating is driven by both the hedonic component (‘liking’) of food, and the motivation (‘wanting’) to eat it. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a key brain center implicated in these processes, but how distinct NAc cell populations encode ‘liking’ and ‘wanting’ to shape overconsumption remains unclear. Here, we probed the roles of NAc D1 and D2 cells in these processes using cell-specific recording and optogenetic manipulation in diverse behavioral paradigms that disentangle reward traits of ‘liking’ and ‘wanting’ related to food choice and overeating in healthy mice. Medial NAc shell D2 cells encoded experience-dependent development of ‘liking’, while D1 cells encoded innate ‘liking’ during the first food taste. Optogenetic control confirmed causal links of D1 and D2 cells to these aspects of ‘liking’. In relation to ‘wanting’, D1 and D2 cells encoded and promoted distinct aspects of food approach: D1 cells interpreted food cues while D2 cells also sustained food-visit-length that facilitates consumption. Finally, at the level of food choice, D1, but not D2, cell activity was sufficient to switch food preference, programming subsequent long-lasting overconsumption. By revealing complementary roles of D1 and D2 cells in consumption, these findings assign neural bases to ‘liking’ and ‘wanting’ in a unifying framework of D1 and D2 cell activity.

CITATION EXPORT

Mathilde C. C. Guillaumin, Paulius Viskaitis, Eva Bracey et al.. Disentangling the role of NAc D1 and D2 cells in hedonic eating. Molecular Psychiatry. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-023-02131-x

AUTHORS

5 · 1 CENTRES

Mathilde C. C. Guillaumin, Paulius Viskaitis, Eva Bracey, Denis Burdakov, Daria Peleg-Raibstein

https://ror.org/05a28rw58grid.5801.c0000 0001 2156 2780Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, 8603 Schwerzenbach, Switzerland