Figure 3. NAc DA Release Tracks ICSS Seeking.

(A) Schematic of behavioral sequence.

(B-G) Representative metrics from the same session. Consecutive response latencies (B) and Δ[DA] (z axis) time-locked to cue-onset (gray box) overtime (x axis) and across trials (y axis) (C), peak Δ[DA] during the cue (Δ[DA]_cue) (D), mean (± SEM) Δ[DA]_cue (yellow box) divided into thirds of the session (E), peak Δ[DA] during stimulation (Δ[DA]_stim) (F), and mean (± SEM) Δ[DA]_stim (blue box) divided into thirds of the entire session (G).

(H) Mean (± SEM) latency and Δ[DA]_cue and Δ[DA]_stim during the first 200 trials across all mice (n = 9). Scale bars represent 0.2 nA for Δ[DA]_cue and 0.5 nA for Δ[DA]_stim. One-way RM ANOVA: latency, F_(19,1470) = 13.58, p < 0.001; Δ[DA]_cue, F_(19,1563) = 3.58, p < 0.001; Δ[DA]_stim, F_(19,1470) = 12.56, p < 0.001; *p < 0.05 versus the first bin. Significant differences at each time point are indicated by a line (bottom) color-coded according to the symbol for each metric.

(I) Relationship between mean latency (x axis) during the first 50 trials (left) and D[DA]_cue (top; R² = −0.98; p < 0.001) and Δ[DA]_stim (bottom; R² = 0.98; p < 0.001) across the first 200 trials (top, right: Δ[DA]_cue, R² = −0.70; p < 0.001; bottom, right: Δ[DA]_stim, R² = 0.89; p < 0.001). Each circle represents the mean from 10 trials.

(J) Mean (± SEM) Δ[DA]_cue (left; yellow, transparent box) and Δ[DA]_stim (right; blue, transparent box) over 3 consecutive sessions (n = 6).