Extended Data Figure 3: Place preference by photostimulation of cortico-amgydalar projections.
a, Representative tracking of a mouse during the 15min place preference test in a two-chamber arena; the left chamber in the diagram was coupled to stimulation of sweet cortico-amygdalar projections (see Methods for details); this animal spent over 80% of the test time in the chamber linked to stimulation of sweet projections to amygdala. b, Quantification of preference index before (Pre) and during light stimulation (n=8 mice, two-tailed paired t-test, P=0.0156). c, d, Place preference test with stimulation of bitter cortical projection in amygdala (n=5 mice, two-tailed paired t-test, P= 0.0207). e, f, Animals used in panel d were also tested in a licking assay with similar light stimulation intensity, demonstrating strong suppression of licking responses (n=5 mice, two-tailed paired t-test, P=0.0056). Values are mean ± s.e.m. We note that we have examined multiple independent behavioral experiments activating sweet projections to BLA and have never observed the induction of motor patterns, or consummatory behavior. Strong stimulation of bitter cortico-amygdalar projections (20Hz, 10–15 mW) often elicited prototypical orofacial rejection behavior (see Supplementary Video 1).