Opposing roles for striatonigral and striatopallidal neurons in dorsolateral striatum in consolidating new instrumental actions

Abstract

New instrumental learning occurs through an unexpected delivery of a rewarding stimulus or the withdrawal of a punishing stimulus. The authors show that D1 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the anterior dorsolateral striatum encode newly learned instrumental actions whereas D2 MSNs promote the expression of habitual actions.