Objective:Combined retrograde tracing with optogenetic methods,we are investigating the functional role of dorsal raphe nucleus(DRN)GABAergic neurons projecting to lateral habenula(LHb)terminals in anxiety-like behaviors.Methods:The specific retrograde tracing virus AAVretro-Ef1α-DIO-mCherry was injected into the LHb of Vgat-Cre mice.After the viral expression,Multi-brain slides scanning microscope imaging scan and observe the up-stream distribution of GABAergic neural projection in LHb.By retrograde tracing,opto-activated virus AAV2/9-Ef1a-DIO-ChR2-mCherry(ChR2 group)and control virus AAV2/9-Ef1a-DIO-mCherry(mCherry group)were injected into the DRN of Vgat-cre mice respectively.Three weeks after virus expression,DRNGABA neurons and the DRNCABA-LHb neural terminals were activated by optogenetic to observe their role in anxiety-like behaviors.Results:According to the results of retrograde tracing,the midbrain DRN is one of the major GABAergic neural projection brain areas in the LHb nucleus.Optogenetic stimulation of DRNGABA neurons,compared with the mCherry group,the ChR2 group showed sig-nificantly longer total moving distance,central area moving time and distance in the open field test(OFT);In the ele-vated plus maze(EPM),the open arm moving time and distance was significantly increased.When DRN GABA-LHb neural terminals were stimulated,compared with the mCherry group,the ChR2 group showed a significantly longer cen-tral zone moving time,distance and total moving distance in the OFT.During the elevated plus maze(EPM),the open arm moving time was significantly increased.Conclusion:The specific activation of the DRNGABA neuron as well as the DRNGABA-LHb neural projections showed that both significantly improved anxiety-like behaviors in mice.This provides new ideas and evidence for the treatment of anxiety,depression and other psychiatric disorders.
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