{
  "abstract": "We previously reported, using in vivo fiber photometry, that operant responding reinforced by access to a peer (social self-administration) is associated with phasic dopamine increases in nucleus accumbens (NAc) core following lever insertion (reward-availability cue) and gradual increases preceding lever-pressing. Here, we sought to replicate these findings and determine whether dopamine signals (1) generalize to responding for high-carbohydrate palatable food, (2) show opposite patterns during negative reinforcement (shock avoidance/escape), and (3) depend on whether reinforcers are experienced alone or together. We trained male and female rats to lever-press for access to a same-sex peer (15 s/trial) and palatable food (45 mg pellet/trial), followed by shock avoidance/escape (0.18–0.28 mA). After training, we expressed the dopamine sensor GRAB-DA2m and implanted optic fibers into NAc core. We measured dopamine activity during sessions with either one or three reinforcers. During social self-administration, dopamine activity showed phasic increases following lever insertion and gradual increases preceding lever-pressing; responses were moderately greater during sessions with all three reinforcers. Palatable food self-administration showed a similar pattern, but responses were approximately twofold greater during single-reinforcer sessions. During shock avoidance/escape, dopamine activity showed phasic decreases at warning onset, lever insertion, and shock onset; responses were also greater during single-reinforcer sessions. Results suggest that NAc core dopamine signaling distinguishes positive from negative reinforcement and is modulated by reinforcer availability. Compared with single-reinforcer sessions, dopamine responses during food self-administration and shock avoidance/escape were reduced during sessions with all three reinforcers, whereas responses during social self-administration modestly increased.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Jonathan J. Chow",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5999-145X"
    },
    {
      "name": "Emma M. Pilz"
    },
    {
      "name": "Huiling Wang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Kauê M. Costa",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5562-6495"
    },
    {
      "name": "Geoffrey Schoenbaum",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8180-0701"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yavin Shaham",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8242-3319"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1ttr9pq04f8hc.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1523/eneuro.0235-26.2026",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13713217/",
  "id": "1ttr9pq04f8hc",
  "issns": [
    "2373-2822"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.eneuro.org/lookup/doi/10.1523/ENEURO.0235-26.2026",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-SA 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "1"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Cognition and Behavior"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Research Article: New Research"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2804|Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7221656962",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.eneuro.org/content/eneuro/early/2026/10/13/ENEURO.0235-26.2026.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13713217",
  "pmid": "42869656",
  "published": "2026-10-13",
  "publisher": "Society for Neuroscience",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1ttr9pq04f8hc.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:32Z",
      "native_id": "10.1523/eneuro.0235-26.2026",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.eneuro.org/lookup/doi/10.1523/ENEURO.0235-26.2026"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-31T12:23:48Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13713217",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1523/eneuro.0235-26.2026"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:2804|Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior",
      "subfield": "neuroscience"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Characterization of Nucleus Accumbens Dopamine Dynamics during Positive and Negative Operant Reinforcement in Rats",
  "title_text": "Characterization of Nucleus Accumbens Dopamine Dynamics during Positive and Negative Operant Reinforcement in Rats",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-01T12:20:55Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1ttr9pq04f8hc",
  "venue": "eneuro",
  "versions": []
}