A neuronal mechanism for motivational control of behavior

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 375; no. 6576; p. eabg7277
• Main Authors: Courtin, J., Bitterman, Y., Müller, S., Hinz, J., Hagihara, K. M., Müller, C., Lüthi, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The American Association for the Advancement of Science 07.01.2022; American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
• Subjects: Activity patterns; Amygdala; Animals; Associative learning; Basolateral Nuclear Complex - physiology; Behavior; Behavior, Animal; Brain; Calcium - analysis; Calcium imaging; Calcium ions; Conditioning (learning); Consumption; Contingency; Degradation; Electrophysiology; Expectancy; Experimental Psychology; Genetics; Goals; Imaging; Information processing; Inhibition (psychology); Life Sciences; Male; Mice; Motivation; Neostriatum; Neuroimaging; Neurons; Neurons - physiology; Objectives; Operant conditioning; Optics; Parameters; Phenotypes; Psychology; Reinforcement; Representations; Resistance (Psychology); Reward; Sensory stimuli; Species extinction; Stimuli; Sucrose; Training
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.abg7277

Almost everything we do in our daily lives is goal directed. The brain can maintain a motivational state to direct actions to achieve desired outcomes. Using deep-brain calcium imaging, electrophysiology, and optogenetics in mice, Courtin et al . observed that at the time of goal-directed action, basolateral amygdala principal neurons integrate and encode pursued outcome identity, pursued outcome value, and action-outcome contingency information. At the time of consumption, basolateral amygdala neuronal firing represents current outcome identity and value. Together, action- and consumption-associated activity integrate behaviorally relevant information at distinct time points along goal-directed action-consumption sequences. —PRS Basolateral amygdala principal neurons encode and maintain outcome-specific and updatable motivational states to direct mouse behavior. Acting to achieve goals depends on the ability to motivate specific behaviors based on their predicted consequences given an individual’s internal state. However, the underlying neuronal mechanisms that encode and maintain such specific motivational control of behavior are poorly understood. Here, we used Ca 2+ imaging and optogenetic manipulations in the basolateral amygdala of freely moving mice performing noncued, self-paced instrumental goal-directed actions to receive and consume rewards. We found that distinct neuronal activity patterns sequentially represent the entire action-consumption behavioral sequence. Whereas action-associated patterns integrated the identity, value, and expectancy of pursued goals, consumption-associated patterns reflected the identity and value of experienced outcomes. Thus, the interplay between these patterns allows the maintenance of specific motivational states necessary to adaptively direct behavior toward prospective rewards.