The striatum is densely innervated by mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons that modulate
acquisition and vigor of goal-directed actions and habits. This innervation is progressively …

The degeneration of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons that innervate the basal ganglia
is responsible for the cardinal motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). It has been …

For roughly the last 30 years, the notion that striatal dopamine (DA) depletion was the critical
determinant of network pathophysiology underlying the motor symptoms of Parkinson's …

We used a step-wheel system to examine the activity of striatal projection neurons as mice
practiced stepping on complexly arranged foothold pegs in this Ferris-wheel-like device to …

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a polygenic severe mental illness. Genome-wide association studies
(GWAS) have detected genomic variants associated with this psychiatric disorder and …

Acute stimulation of M 1 or M 4 muscarinic cholinergic receptors reduces cocaine abuse-
related effects in mice and rats. The combined activation of these receptor subtypes …

Dopamine regulates psychomotor function by D1 receptor/PKA-dependent phosphorylation
of DARPP-32. DARPP-32, phosphorylated at Thr34 by PKA, inhibits protein phosphatase 1 …

Motor chunking is important for motor execution, allowing atomization and efficiency of
movement sequences. However, it remains unclear why and how chunks contribute to motor …

By the use of a novel experimental system, the step-wheel, we investigated the neural
underpinnings of complex and continuous movements. We recorded neural activities from …

Neurons in the brain communicate via electrical and chemical synapses,
whereneurotransmitters are released. Traditional methods to detect synaptic transmission …