Dopamine is essential for striatal function and learning. Striatal dopamine release can be triggered by dopamine cell firing, but also by coordinated cholinergic interneuron activity, which stimulates dopamine release via presynaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on dopamine axons. While acetylcholine-dependent dopamine release is well-documented ex vivo and under artificial optogenetic stimulation in vivo, its role during natural behavior has remained unclear. One possible endogenous driver of acetylcholine-dependent dopamine release is thalamic input, which provides strong excitatory drive to cholinergic interneurons. To examine whether thalamic input provokes acetylcholine-dependent dopamine release during behavior, we performed simultaneous fiber photometry recordings of striatal dopamine (GRAB-rDA3m) and thalamic axon activity (gCaMP8m) in the dorsomedial (DMS) and dorsolateral striatum (DLS) of mice learning the accelerating rotarod, a striatal-dependent task that demands precise and effortful motor control. Recordings were obtained on- and off-task and across days of training to capture the full arc of learning. Dopamine transients in DMS, but not DLS, were frequently coupled to peaks in thalamic axon activity via an acetylcholine-dependent mechanism. The occurrence of these thalamic-evoked DMS dopamine transients depended on learning, task engagement, and the recent history of dopamine activity, but did not contribute to motor error signals. Together, these findings establish thalamic input as a physiological driver of acetylcholine-dependent dopamine release in DMS. Moreover, they reveal that striatal sensitivity to this local release mechanism is dynamically gated by dopaminergic history, providing a compelling framework for understanding how local and soma-triggered dopamine signals are coordinated to support learning.

High-resolution extracellular electrophysiology is the gold standard for recording spikes from distributed neural populations and is especially powerful when combined with optogenetics for manipulation of specific cell types with high temporal resolution. We integrated these approaches into prototype Neuropixels Opto probes, which combine electronic and photonic circuits. These devices pack 960 electrical recording sites and two sets of 14 light emitters onto a 70-μm-wide, 1-cm-long shank, allowing spatially addressable optogenetic stimulation with blue and red light. In mouse cortex, Neuropixels Opto probes delivered high-quality recordings together with spatially addressable optogenetics, differentially activating or silencing neurons at distinct cortical depths. In the mouse striatum and other deep structures, Neuropixels Opto probes delivered efficient optotagging, facilitating the identification of two cell types in parallel. Neuropixels Opto probes represent a promising tool for recording, identifying and manipulating neuronal populations.

Although learning in response to extrinsic reinforcement is theorized to be driven by dopamine signals that encode the difference between expected and experienced rewards, skills that enable verbal or musical expression can be learned without extrinsic reinforcement. Instead, spontaneous execution of these skills is thought to be intrinsically reinforcing. Whether dopamine signals similarly guide learning of these intrinsically reinforced behaviours is unknown. In juvenile zebra finches learning from an adult tutor, dopamine signalling in a song-specialized basal ganglia region is required for successful song copying, a spontaneous, intrinsically reinforced process. Here we show that dopamine dynamics in the song basal ganglia faithfully track the learned quality of juvenile song performance on a rendition-by-rendition basis. Furthermore, dopamine release in the basal ganglia is driven not only by inputs from midbrain dopamine neurons classically associated with reinforcement learning but also by song premotor inputs, which act by means of local cholinergic signalling to elevate dopamine during singing. Although both cholinergic and dopaminergic signalling are necessary for juvenile song learning, only dopamine tracks the learned quality of song performance. Therefore, dopamine dynamics in the basal ganglia encode performance quality during self-directed, long-term learning of natural behaviours.

Basal Ganglia Advances is a collection highlighting research on the structure, function, and disorders of the basal ganglia. It features studies spanning neuroscience, clinical insights, and computational models, serving as a hub for advances in movement, cognition, and behavior.

Recent advances in the field of Voltage Imaging, with a special focus on new constructs and novel implementations.

Work related to place tuning, spatial navigation, orientation and direction. Mainly includes articles on connectivity in the hippocampus, retrosplenial cortex, and related areas.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is a common inner ear disorder characterized by intense dizziness often triggered by sudden head movements. Certain dental and maxillofacial surgeries may induce BPPV due to vibrational trauma from instrumentation, extended hyperflexion of the head, and existing vestibular conditions. This study aimed to analyze certain oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures associated with BPPV and evaluate prevention and treatment strategies. A review of relevant literature was conducted through Google Scholar and an extensive search on PubMed for the period 2005-2020 using the keywords "BPPV" and "benign paroxysmal positional vertigo." Articles were screened up to the 2564th listing, focusing on cases of postsurgical BPPV. Eight studies were included and analyzed, including case reports, retrospective analyses, and literature reviews. The procedures that led to BPPV in these studies include sinus floor elevation, maxillary implant placement, third molar extractions, and orthognathic surgery. Factors that contributed to the development of BPPV include surgical trauma, use of osteotomes, abnormal head positioning, and preexisting vestibular conditions. Although postoperative BPPV is typically self-limiting, treatment may involve physical rehabilitation (Epley maneuver) or pharmacotherapy (benzodiazepines, antihistamines). Analysis of the studies revealed that treatment considerations may include referral to an ear, nose, and throat practitioner for management; careful review of the patient's medical history; proper patient positioning; and cautious use of osteotomes. Although BPPV is a rare complication, surgeons should be aware of its potential implications to mitigate unnecessary development of BPPV and management of the condition. Further research is needed on the optimal prevention, treatment, and patient management strategies.

This study investigated the relationship between jawbone types and trabecular bone structures. A total of 38 osseointegrated implants were placed in 33 partially edentulous patients (17 males and 16 females). The bone quality of the recipient sites was measured in Hounsfield units and classified according to the Norton and Gamble classification. Histomorphometric methods were employed to analyze the structure of trabecular bone, including bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular thickness (Tb. Th), trabecular number, and trabecular separation. The mean values of the four variables in Type I were 52.66 ± 9.75%, 27.31 ± 12.73 µm, 22.77 ± 10.17/mm, and 24.01 ± 10.34 µm, respectively. The mean values for Types II/III were 37.92 ± 11.54%, 45.99 ± 26.71 µm, 11.58 ± 8.16/mm, and 82.39 ± 51.67 µm, respectively. The mean values for Type IV were 33.43 ± 10.32%, 20.27 ± 3.58 µm, 17.16 ± 6.42/mm, and 47.92 ± 29.11 µm, respectively. When comparing Type I with Type IV, BV/TV was the only variable that demonstrated a statistically significant difference (p < .001). In the comparison between Type I and Type II/III, all variables were statistically significant except for Tb. Th (p < .01). When comparing Type II/III with Type IV, Tb. Th was the only variable that showed a statistically significant difference (p < .01). It is crucial to select ideal implant sites before placement, considering the various bone types. Direct quantification of trabecular bone structure in a clinical setting is challenging; therefore, understanding bone types can aid in predicting implantation outcomes by assessing the relationship between bone type and trabecular bone structures.

The treatment of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia exhibiting failing dentition with dental implant placement is understudied. Various factors play a role in treatment success, ranging from bone density to psychiatric symptoms, antipsychotic medication, or compromised oral hygiene. It is therefore imperative for a dental practitioner to recognize these factors and understand the clinical efficacy based on previous literature about placing implants in patients with schizophrenia. We reviewed existing literature on dental implant placement in individuals with schizophrenia, resulting in 3 positive cases of 4 total studies. Nondental implant placement was also reviewed, resulting in 2 positive outcomes of 6. It was concluded that if symptoms can be managed, as exhibited in the 2 positive dental implant case studies, individuals with schizophrenia can be good candidates for dental implantation.