The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is considered an interface between motivation and action, with NAc neurons playing an important role in promoting reward approach. However, the encoding by NAc neurons that contributes to this role remains unknown. We recorded 62 NAc neurons in male Wistar rats (n = 5) running towards rewarded locations in an 8-arm radial maze. Variables related to locomotor approach kinematics were the best predictors of the firing rate for most NAc neurons. Nearly 18% of the recorded neurons were inhibited during the entire approach run (locomotion-off cells), suggesting that reduction in firing of these neurons promotes initiation of locomotor approach. 27% of the neurons presented a peak of activity during acceleration followed by a valley during deceleration (acceleration-on cells). Together, these neurons accounted for most of the speed and acceleration encoding identified in our analysis. In contrast, a further 16% of neurons presented a valley during acceleration followed by a peak just prior to or after reaching reward (deceleration-on cells). These findings suggest that these three classes of NAc neurons influence the time course of speed changes during locomotor approach to reward.

Departamento de Neurociencia Facultad de Medicina Universidad de Chile Av Independencia 1027 Independencia 8380453 Santiago Chile

Department of Biochemistry Universidade Federal do Paraná Curitiba Brazil

Department of Bioengineering University of California 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0412 La Jolla San Diego 92093 USA

Department of Neuroscience Albert Einstein College of Medicine 1300 Morris Park Ave Bronx NY 10461 USA

Department of Pharmacology Universidade Federal do Paraná Curitiba Brazil

Department of Psychiatry Albert Einstein College of Medicine New York USA

Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Videnska 1083 142 20 Prague Czech Republic

Laboratório de Fisiologia e Farmacologia do Sistema Nervoso Central Universidade Federal do Paraná 81531 980 Curitiba Brazil

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