Environmental and behavioral modulation of the number of substantia nigra dopamine neurons in adult mice

Abstract

Background: Recent evidence indicates that hypothalamic neurons acquire or lose the capacity to synthesize and release dopamine (DA) in response to environmental stimuli, and this has functional and behavioral consequences for adult rats. We have evidence that neuronal activity, including that driven by afferent input, regulates acquisition and loss of the DA phenotype by substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) neurons in adult mice. Hypotheses: The aims of the present study were to determine whether the environment or behavior regulates the number of SNc DA neurons in adult mice, and whether this is mediated by afferent input. Methods: Adult mice were subject to two different environments/beha..