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
PubMed Central ID	PMC11533377