Single rodent mesohabenular axons release glutamate and GABA

The lateral habenula (LHb) is involved in reward, aversion, addiction, and depression, through descending interactions with several brain structures, including the ventral tegmental area (VTA). VTA provides reciprocal inputs to LHb, but their actions are unclear. Here we show that the majority of rat and mouse VTA neurons innervating LHb co-express markers for both glutamate-signaling (vesicular glutamate transporter 2, VGluT2) and GABA-signaling (glutamate decarboxylase, GAD; and vesicular GABA transporter, VGaT). A single axon from these mesohabenular neurons co-expresses VGluT2-protein and VGaT-protein, and surprisingly establishes symmetric and asymmetric synapses on LHb neurons. In LHb slices, light activation of mesohabenular fibers expressing channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) driven by VGluT2 or VGaT promoters elicits release of both glutamate and GABA onto single LHb neurons. In vivo light-activation of mesohabenular terminals inhibits or excites LHb neurons. Our findings reveal an unanticipated type of VTA neuron that co-transmits glutamate and GABA, and provides the majority of mesohabenular inputs.