[]Title: An action potential initiation mechanism in distal axons for the control of dopamine release
[]Journal/Year: Science (2022)
[]DOI: 10.1126/science.abn0532
[]Key Findings: Blocking the nAChRs of acetylcholine decreased the dopamine (DA) concentration in striatum slices; while activating cholinergic interneurons could trigger action potentials at the distal axons of DA neurons. In vivo blocking of the nAChRs of acetylcholine, with optofluid canula, attenuated the DA dynamics.
[]Conclusion: Acetylcholine could mediate the DA release at the distal axons of DA neuron, which was independent of the spiking activity at its somata.
[]Comments: Conceptually, the findings in this study are not novel at all, which had been reported 10 years ago (Striatal Dopamine Release Is triggered by synchronized activity in Cholinergic interneurons, Neuron, 2012). Then why it is deserved a Science paper? I think, this study exemplifies a frequently used strategy in scientific research: tackle an old question with the cutting-edge techniques, and then put the knowledge forward a little bit. Science makes its progress accumulatively.
[]Writing Date: 2023-04-05
