Resilience to chronic stress is mediated by noradrenergic regulation of dopamine neurons

Dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) contribute to mediating stress susceptibility and resilience. The authors demonstrate that noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus can drive the activity of these dopaminergic VTA neurons to generate a resilient response to chronic stress. Dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) help mediate stress susceptibility and resilience. However, upstream mechanisms controlling these neurons remain unknown. Noradrenergic (NE) neurons in the locus coeruleus, implicated in the pathophysiology of depression, have direct connections within the VTA. Here we demonstrate that NE neurons regulate vulnerability to social defeat through inhibitory control of VTA DA neurons.