Jeong et al. Goal-specific hippocampal inhibition gates learning.

Goal-directed navigation in a new environment requires quickly identifying and exploiting important locations. Identifying new goal locations depends on neural computations that rapidly represent locations and connect location information to key outcomes such as food1. However, the mechanisms to trigger these computations at behaviourally relevant locations are not well understood. Here we show that parvalbumin […]

Timed dopamine signals underlie reinforcement learning, favoring neural activity patterns that drive behaviors with positive outcomes. In the striatum, dopamine activates five dopamine receptors (D1R–D5R), which are differentially expressed in striatal neurons. However, the role of specific dopamine receptors in reinforcement is poorly understood. Using our cell-specific D1R photo-agonist, we find that D1R activation in […]