Alexander Harris
Department of Psychiatry
Columbia University
Reward seeking is disrupted in a variety of psychiatric disorders impacted by stress. However, it remains unclear what neural activity is responsible for stress-induced disruptions in reward seeking. In this talk, I will describe our work using in vivo electrophysiology and optogenetic manipulations in freely moving mice demonstrating that a subpopulation of inhibitory neurons in the reward circuit form the link between acute stress and subsequent decreased reward anticipation. I will also share our ongoing work exploring the role of reward circuitry during the social buffering of stress.