Endogenous Cholinergic Inputs and Local Circuit Mechanisms Govern the Phasic Mesolimbic Dopamine Response to Nicotine

doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003183

Endogenous Cholinergic Inputs and Local Circuit Mechanisms Govern the Phasic Mesolimbic Dopamine Response to Nicotine

Figure 6

Temporal dynamics of DA neuron activity in response to 1 µM nicotine for 2 min for different values of r and afferent input strengths.

(A) The DA response in the presence of constant low cholinergic and glutamatergic afferent input to the VTA, i.e., in vitro like conditions ( µM,). (B) The DA response in the presence of constant high cholinergic and glutamatergic afferent input to the VTA, i.e., in vivo like conditions ( µM, ). In both panels, the distribution of α4β2 nAChRs is changed by varying the control parameter r in steps of 0.2 from 0 to 1 (as indicated). The examples with values of r as used for the direct stimulation (, red) and disinhibition (, blue) cases in this study are highlighted.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003183.g006