Abstract

Nociceptin and the nociceptin opioid peptide (NOP) receptor are widely distributed throughout the brain and have been proposed to have an endogenous role in regulating motivational state; however, how this regulation may occur remains unresolved. NOP receptors are broadly expressed in ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons and their activation inhibits dopamine neuron activity, yet the behavioral consequences of this neuropeptide system’s impact in the VTA are unknown. Here we dissected the role of a VTA nociceptin peptide circuit that constrains reward-seeking behavior.

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