The mesocorticolimbic pathway is canonically known as the" reward pathway." Embedded
within the center of this circuit is the striatum, a massive and complex network hub that …

To determine how neuronal circuits encode and drive behavior, it is often necessary to
measure and manipulate different aspects of neurochemical signaling in awake animals …

Increased tonic activity of locus coeruleus noradrenergic (LC-NE) neurons induces anxiety-
like and aversive behavior. While some information is known about the afferent circuitry that …

Capabilities for recording neural activity in behaving mammals have greatly expanded our
understanding of brain function. Some of the most sophisticated approaches use light …

Impaired function in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) contributes to depression, and the
therapeutic response produced by novel rapid-acting antidepressants such as ketamine are …

Capabilities in real-time monitoring of internal physiological processes could inform
pharmacological drug-delivery schedules, surgical intervention procedures and the …

A central goal in understanding brain function is to link specific cell populations to
behavioral outputs. In recent years, the selective targeting of specific neural circuits has …

Background Pain affects both sensory and emotional aversive responses, often provoking
anxiety-related diseases when chronic. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the …

Highlights•Optogenetic tools provide precise spatial and temporal control of GPCR
signaling.•Light-sensitive proteins can be engineered for GPCR-specific applications.• …

Despite the fact that roughly 40% of all US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved
pharmacological therapeutics target G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs), there remains a …