A stress-sensitive frontostriatal circuit supporting effortful reward-seeking behavior.
| Publication Type | Academic Article |
| Authors | Fetcho R, Parekh P, Chou J, Kenwood M, Chalençon L, Estrin D, Johnson M, Liston C |
| Journal | Neuron |
| Volume | 112 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pagination | 473-487.e4 |
| Date Published | 11/13/2023 |
| ISSN | 1097-4199 |
| Keywords | Nucleus Accumbens, Motivation |
| Abstract | Effort valuation-a process for selecting actions based on the anticipated value of rewarding outcomes and expectations about the work required to obtain them-plays a fundamental role in decision-making. Effort valuation is disrupted in chronic stress states and is supported by the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), but the circuit-level mechanisms by which the ACC regulates effort-based decision-making are unclear. Here, we show that ACC neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens (ACC-NAc) play a critical role in effort valuation behavior in mice. Activity in ACC-NAc cells integrates both reward- and effort-related information, encoding a reward-related signal that scales with effort requirements and is necessary for supporting future effortful decisions. Chronic corticosterone exposure reduces motivation, suppresses effortful reward-seeking, and disrupts ACC-NAc signals. Together, our results delineate a stress-sensitive ACC-NAc circuit that supports effortful reward-seeking behavior by integrating reward and effort signals and reinforcing effort allocation in the service of maximizing reward. |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.10.020 |
| PubMed ID | 37963470 |