Figure 8.

Activity in both the PVT and the vHipp are required to induce downstream alterations in dopamine system function. Aberrant activity of the vHipp or PVT causes an increase in glutamatergic transmission to the NAc, driving a hyperfunction of the dopamine system. Dopamine neuron activity can be restored by inactivating either the vHipp or PVT. We posit that afferent projections from the vHipp to NAc are required to generate UP states in NAc medium spiny neurons, whereas PVT afferents drive action potential firing.