Cholinergic interneurons in the nucleus accumbens regulate the initiation of natural reward approach
- 1Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Abstract
Despite their established role in motivated behavior, how nucleus accumbens (NAc) cholinergic interneurons (CINs) contribute to natural reward seeking remains unclear. Here, we report that NAc CINs are key modulators of the approach phase of reward pursuit. Using in vivo fiber photometry in Chat-ires-Cre mice, we show that NAc CINs are robustly activated during the approach towards several salient stimuli including food, a social target, and a familiar object. We also provide evidence that this activation is potentially driven by olfactory cues. Disrupting NAc CIN function via targeted expression of a membrane-tethered toxin results in a delayed approach towards both food and a social target, but no alterations in object investigation, general locomotion or anxiety-related measures. Together, these findings identify NAc CINs as regulators of the initiation of natural reward approach and suggest that they link sensory information with onset of motivated action.
Related
- Diurnal Variations in the Cholinergic System of the Nucleus Accumbens
- From Reward to Cue: Developmental Changes in Nucleus Accumbens and Dopamine Signaling from Adolescence to Adulthood
- Cue-dependent fear learning drives nucleus accumbens spine plasticity
- Long-term sugar consumption alters extracellular dopamine and acetylcholine levels in the nucleus accumbens shell
- Distinct cocaine- and shock-responsive ensembles in the nucleus accumbens
BibTeX
@misc{brown2026cholinergic,
title = {{Cholinergic interneurons in the nucleus accumbens regulate the initiation of natural reward approach}},
author = {S. O. Brown and R. Durand-de Cuttoli and M. A. Mahboob and E. Markopoulou and I. Ibanez-Tallon and J. L. Ables},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.64898/2026.09.23.753195},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.23.753195v1},
note = {CC BY-ND},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Cholinergic interneurons in the nucleus accumbens regulate the initiation of natural reward approach
AU - S. O. Brown
AU - R. Durand-de Cuttoli
AU - M. A. Mahboob
AU - E. Markopoulou
AU - I. Ibanez-Tallon
AU - J. L. Ables
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/23
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.09.23.753195
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.23.753195v1
AB - Despite their established role in motivated behavior, how nucleus accumbens (NAc) cholinergic interneurons (CINs) contribute to natural reward seeking remains unclear. Here, we report that NAc CINs are key modulators of the approach phase of reward pursuit. Using in vivo fiber photometry in Chat-ires-Cre mice, we show that NAc CINs are robustly activated during the approach towards several salient stimuli including food, a social target, and a familiar object. We also provide evidence that this activation is potentially driven by olfactory cues. Disrupting NAc CIN function via targeted expression of a membrane-tethered toxin results in a delayed approach towards both food and a social target, but no alterations in object investigation, general locomotion or anxiety-related measures. Together, these findings identify NAc CINs as regulators of the initiation of natural reward approach and suggest that they link sensory information with onset of motivated action.
ER -