Mesopontine cholinergic inputs to midbrain dopamine neurons drive stress-induced depressive-like behaviors

Abstract

Dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are implicated in depressive-like behaviors. Here, the authors show that cholinergic inputs to the VTA from the laterodorsal tegmentum regulate intrinsic plasticity of VTA DA neurons to mediate stress-induced depressive-like behaviors.