The Effect of Nucleus Accumbens Medium Spiny Neuron Subtypes on Stress-Induced Sleep Changes

BrainPost, 19 January 2021

Stress is a key contributor to both major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. These two conditions have common symptoms, including diminished motivation and sleep dysregulation. Chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) is commonly used to study altered motivation in rodents. Medium spiny neurons within the nucleus accumbens (NAc) release dopamine and contribute to altered motivation in CSDS. Although CSDS can disrupt sleep in mice, the NAc cells’ role in sleep disruption is unknown. Read more.