Central amygdala dopamine signals preferentially track ingestive behaviors over external cues

Abstract Feeding behavior emerges from the interplay of sensory cues, motor actions, and the nutritive properties of ingested food. Amygdala circuits are anatomically positioned to link sensory cues with consummatory behaviors. While the basolateral amygdala (BLA) receives dopaminergic signals that support learning food-predicting cues, the contribution of dopamine to feeding regulation within the central amygdala (CeA) remains poorly defined. Here, we show in mice that BLA dopamine responses developed to predictive cues and aversive shocks, whereas CeA dopamine was minimally cue- or shock-responsive. Instead, licking in the absence of ingestion was sufficient to evoke CeA dopamine, and ingestion amplified and prolonged the signal. Licking information alone could predict dopamine fluctuations but failed to explain an additional consumption-related signal that depended on the composition of the ingested solution. Furthermore, the fasting state of the animal did not alter licking-related and consumption-linked dopamine responses, further supporting a motor and post-ingestive outcome-driven signal. Together, these results identify a potential division of labor in amygdala dopamine signaling: BLA dopamine may help associate external predictive stimuli with salient outcomes, while CeA dopamine provides a circuit-specific substrate for connecting motor execution with the sensory evaluation of ingested rewards.