A major focus of our research is to understand how molecular signaling pathways engaged following dopamine receptors stimulation, participate in behavioral responses. After a brief overview of the recent data obtained regarding the anatomical organization of DA-expressing cells in the nucleus accumbens shell and the nuclei of the extended amygdala I will focus on the mechanisms through which dopamine signaling within the extended amygdala could participate to the control generalization of anxiety and fear.

Biever A, Puighermanal E, Nishi A, David A, Panciatici C, Longueville S, Xirodimas D, Gangarossa G, Meyuhas O, Hervé D, Girault JA, Valjent E. PKA-dependent phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 does not correlate with translation efficiency in striatonigral and striatopallidal medium-sized spiny neurons. J Neurosci. 2015 (in press).

Pascoli V, Terrier J, Espallergues J, Valjent E, O’Connor EC, Lüscher C. Contrasting forms of cocaine-evoked synaptic plasticity at identified accumbal synapses control core components of relapse. Nature. 2014 509(7501):459-64.

Gangarossa G, Espallergues J, de Kerchove d’Exaerde A, El Mestikawy S, Gerfen CR, Hervé D, Girault JA, VALJENT E. Distribution and compartmental organization of GABAergic medium-sized spiny neurons in the mouse nucleus accumbens. Front Neural Circuits. 2013 7:22.

Valjent E, Bertran-Gonzalez J, Bowling H, Lopez S, Santini E, Matamales M, Bonito-Oliva A, Hervé D, Hoeffer C, Klann E, Girault JA, Fisone G. Haloperidol regulates the state of phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 via activation of PKA and phosphorylation of DARPP-32. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2011 36(12):2561-70.

Contact : yves.goldberg@ujf-grenoble.fr