Mouse behavior and neural activities of dopamine and D1- and D2- neurons in the tail of the striatum under threat-reward conflict and dopamine action onto the striatal neurons

We recorded dopamine sensor signals and calcium indicator signals in
dopamine receptor type 1-expressing neurons (D1-neurons) and dopamine
receptor type 1-expressing neurons (D2 neurons) in the tail of the
striatum (TS), while thirsty mice collected water in the presence of a big
moving object (“monster paradigm”). In some experiments, we examined mouse
behaviors in the monster paradigm with manipulation of TS (and
dorsolateral striatum, DLS as comparison) such as ablation of
TS-projecting dopamine neurons, or D1 neurons or D2 neurons in TS,
increase of dopamine concentration in TS, and blocking or activating
dopamine receptor type 1 (D1R) or D2R. To map dopamine responses to
sensory stimuli and reward in the striatum, we recorded dopamine sensor
signals in the various parts of the striatum while mice were presented
with reward or tone in head-fixed mice (“tone-reward paradigm”). In
addition, we performed optogenetic activation of dopamine axons in TS in
head-fixed preparation and examined its effects on sensory responses of
D1-neurons and D2 neurons (“optogenetic activation of TS dopamine”).