CRHCeA→VTA inputs inhibit the positive ensembles to induce negative effect of opiate withdrawal

作者：Changyou Jiang, Xiao Yang, Guanhong He, Fan Wang, Zhilin Wang, Zhilin Wang, Wendong Xu, Lan Ma, Lan Ma, Feifei Wang, Feifei Wang · 发表于：Molecular Psychiatry · 年份：2021 · DOI：10.1038/s41380-021-01321-9 · 被引用次数：48 · 研究领域：Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior、Stress Responses and Cortisol、Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling

Abstract Plasticity of neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) is critical for establishment of drug dependence. However, the remodeling of the circuits mediating the transition between positive and negative effect remains unclear. Here, we used neuronal activity-dependent labeling technique to characterize and temporarily control the VTA neuronal ensembles recruited by the initial morphine exposure (morphine-positive ensembles, Mor-Ens). Mor-Ens preferentially projected to NAc, and induced dopamine-dependent positive reinforcement. Electrophysiology and rabies viral tracing revealed the preferential connections between the VTA-projective corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons of central amygdala (CRH CeA→VTA ) and Mor-Ens, which was enhanced after escalating morphine exposure and mediated the negative effect during opiate withdrawal. Pharmacologic intervention or CRISPR-mediated repression of CRHR1 in Mor-Ens weakened the inhibitory CRH CeA→VTA inputs, and alleviated the negative effect during opiate withdrawal. These data suggest that neurons encoding opioid reward experience are inhibited by enhanced CRH CeA→VTA inputs induced by chronic morphine exposure, leading to negative effect during opiate withdrawal, and provide new insight into the pathological changes in VTA plasticity after drug abuse and mechanism of opiate dependence.