Although it is well-established that animals will self-stimulate electric current to various diverse brain structures, the neural substrate of brain stimulation reward (BSR) has eluded identification since its discovery more than a half-century ago. We show that GABA neurons in the midbrain, hypothalamus and thalamus express connexin-36 (Cx36) gap junctions and couple electrically with dopamine application or by stimulation of the internal capsule (IC), which also supports self-stimulation. The threshold for responding for self-stimulation of the IC is the threshold for coupling between these GABA neurons, the degree of responding for IC ICSS is proportional to the magnitude of electrical coupling between these GABA neurons, and GJ blockers, including the Cx36 blocker mefloquine, increase the threshold for IC self-stimulation without affecting performance. Thus, electrical coupling between this network of GABA neurons fits the prevailing model for the elusive integrator of BSR.
","abstract_html":"<p>Although it is well-established that animals will self-stimulate electric current to various diverse brain structures, the neural substrate of brain stimulation reward (BSR) has eluded identification since its discovery more than a half-century ago. We show that GABA neurons in the midbrain, hypothalamus and thalamus express connexin-36 (Cx36) gap junctions and couple electrically with dopamine application or by stimulation of the internal capsule (IC), which also supports self-stimulation. The threshold for responding for self-stimulation of the IC is the threshold for coupling between these GABA neurons, the degree of responding for IC ICSS is proportional to the magnitude of electrical coupling between these GABA neurons, and GJ blockers, including the Cx36 blocker mefloquine, increase the threshold for IC self-stimulation without affecting performance. Thus, electrical coupling between this network of GABA neurons fits the prevailing model for the elusive integrator of BSR.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Lassen, Matthew Brian"],"institution":"Brigham Young University - Provo","degree_name":"MS","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":null,"date_issued":"","date_published":null,"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:29:03Z","subjects":["VTA","BSR","ICSS","brain stimulation reward","GABA","dopamine","Neuroscience and Neurobiology"],"languages":["English"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/1298","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Lassen, Matthew Brian"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2006-12-07T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Brigham Young University - Provo"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MS"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["VTA","BSR","ICSS","brain stimulation reward","GABA","dopamine","Neuroscience and Neurobiology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/1298","https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/context/etd/article/2297/viewcontent/ETD_CISOPTR_1302.pdf"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Life Sciences; Neuroscience","Biology and Agriculture;Physiology and Developmental Biology
"]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Although it is well-established that animals will self-stimulate electric current to various diverse brain structures, the neural substrate of brain stimulation reward (BSR) has eluded identification since its discovery more than a half-century ago. We show that GABA neurons in the midbrain, hypothalamus and thalamus express connexin-36 (Cx36) gap junctions and couple electrically with dopamine application or by stimulation of the internal capsule (IC), which also supports self-stimulation. The threshold for responding for self-stimulation of the IC is the threshold for coupling between these GABA neurons, the degree of responding for IC ICSS is proportional to the magnitude of electrical coupling between these GABA neurons, and GJ blockers, including the Cx36 blocker mefloquine, increase the threshold for IC self-stimulation without affecting performance. Thus, electrical coupling between this network of GABA neurons fits the prevailing model for the elusive integrator of BSR.
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"],"dc:description.abstract":["Although it is well-established that animals will self-stimulate electric current to various diverse brain structures, the neural substrate of brain stimulation reward (BSR) has eluded identification since its discovery more than a half-century ago. We show that GABA neurons in the midbrain, hypothalamus and thalamus express connexin-36 (Cx36) gap junctions and couple electrically with dopamine application or by stimulation of the internal capsule (IC), which also supports self-stimulation. The threshold for responding for self-stimulation of the IC is the threshold for coupling between these GABA neurons, the degree of responding for IC ICSS is proportional to the magnitude of electrical coupling between these GABA neurons, and GJ blockers, including the Cx36 blocker mefloquine, increase the threshold for IC self-stimulation without affecting performance. Thus, electrical coupling between this network of GABA neurons fits the prevailing model for the elusive integrator of BSR.
"],"dc:format":["application:pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/1298","https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/context/etd/article/2297/viewcontent/ETD_CISOPTR_1302.pdf"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:publisher":["Brigham Young University - Provo"],"dc:source":["Brigham Young University - Provo"],"dc:subject":["VTA","BSR","ICSS","brain stimulation reward","GABA","dopamine","Neuroscience and Neurobiology"],"dc:title":["Brain Stimulation Reward is Integrated by A Network of Electrically-Coupled GABA Neurons"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["MS"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:29:03Z"}