Synaptic Plasticity of D1 and D2 Types of Neurons in the Central Amygdala After Sucrose and Cocaine Exposure

Dopamine-sensitive neurons are organized in two classes of cells, expressing D1- or D2-type dopamine receptors, and often mediate opposing aspects of reward-oriented behaviors. Here, we focused on D1- and D2-type neurons in the central amygdala, a brain structure critically involved in processing emotion-related stimuli. We demonstrated the distinct composition of the central amygdala based on these receptors: the lateral part (CeL) consists almost exclusively of D2-type neurons, while the medial part (CeM) contains a mix of both D1- and D2-type neurons. Recording excitatory postsynaptic currents' frequency in D1 and D2-type neurons after exposing mice to rewarding stimuli, we showed that in the CeM, cocaine injections trigger opposite changes of spontaneous excitatory synaptic transmission than exposure to sucrose.