Ventral pallidum efferent pathways via mediodorsal thalamus and lateral habenula mediate distinct aspects of default mode network regulation

Transitions between internal and external focus are fundamental to cognition. These shifts depend on the modulation of the Default Mode Network (DMN), of which the ventral pallidum (VP) is a key subcortical node. Here, we examine which VP efferent pathways mediate these transitions, using projection and cell-type-specific optogenetic silencing. We found that inhibition of the VP projection to lateral habenula (LHb) confers a learning advantage early during task acquisition. Conversely, silencing VP projections to mediodorsal thalamus (MD) improves performance during the late stage of the same task. Downregulation of the cholinergic VP population improved performance during both early and late stages. Thus, silencing these VP outputs promotes escape from a DMN brain state, facilitating attention to external stimuli. Our results confirm a role for VP in DMN regulation and indicate that MD and LHb VP efferent pathways, in concert with cholinergic neuromodulation, mediate different aspects ..., , # Ventral pallidum efferent pathways via mediodorsal thalamus and lateral habenula mediate distinct aspects of default mode network regulation

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.z612jm6r0](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.z612jm6r0)

## Description of the data and file structure

**Files:**

**Figure1BC.mat**

Action potential raster plot, peri-stimulus-time-histogram and spiking phase angle histogram in relation to optogenetic stimulation frequency for an example stimulation site at (B) 10Hz and (C) 40Hz light stimulation frequency.

This dataset contains 4 variables:

spt_VP_ex1 : spike times for one example unit with 10Hz light stimulation frequency for 10 trials (1x10 cell)

spPhases_VP_ex1 : spiking phase angle for the same unit

spt_VP_ex2 : spike times for one example unit with 40Hz light stimulation frequency for 10 trials (1x10 cell)

spPhases_VP_ex2 : spiking phase angle for the same unit

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**Figure1D.mat**

Population analysis across VP stimulation sites of mean preferred phase...,