• Dopamine receptors D1 and D2 in the ventral hippocampus are crucial for balancing approach and avoidance behaviors under stress.
• Activating D2 receptor neurons in mice reduced fear, indicating a potential link to anxiety and mood regulation.
• The findings suggest new therapeutic avenues for treating anxiety, depression, and addiction by targeting dopamine circuits.

Researchers at Mount Sinai Hospital have uncovered the roles of D1 and D2 dopamine receptors in the ventral hippocampus of mice, an area of the brain involved in regulating emotions and stress responses. The study, published in Nature, demonstrates that these receptors play a critical role in balancing approach and avoidance behaviors, potentially influencing anxiety and mood disorders. These findings expand the understanding of dopamine's function beyond reward and motivation.

• What: Research identifying the distinct roles of D1 and D2 dopamine receptors in the ventral hippocampus in regulating approach and avoidance behaviors under stress.
• Who: Researchers at Mount Sinai Hospital, led by Eric J. Nestler, Arthur Godino, and Marine Salery, studied male mice.
• When: The study was published on May 7, 2025.
• Where: The research focused on the ventral hippocampus of mice.

This research provides significant insights into the role of dopamine in emotional regulation, specifically in the context of anxiety and mood disorders. By identifying the distinct functions of D1 and D2 receptors in the ventral hippocampus, the study opens new avenues for developing targeted therapies for these conditions. The unexpected finding that activating D2 receptors reduced fear highlights the complexity of dopamine signaling and its potential for therapeutic manipulation. The study's focus on the ventral hippocampus, a region previously underappreciated in dopamine research, broadens our understanding of the brain circuits involved in emotional processing.

Ours is the first comprehensive, functional study of newly discovered D1 and D2 expressing cells in the ventral hippocampus. We demonstrate that dopamine is more important in that area of the brain than previously believed and, moreover, that it conveys information related to decision-making under stressful conditions.

These discoveries underscored for us that dopamine is an important component of the hippocampal circuitry and that dopamine signaling should be reconsidered in many brain regions where it was previously overlooked, especially those associated with learning, memory, and emotional behavior.

By helping to delineate the neuromodulatory circuits that govern these disorders, we’re taking an essential step toward addressing a leading cause of disability in humans worldwide.

The Mount Sinai team's research sheds light on the crucial role of dopamine receptors in the ventral hippocampus in regulating emotional responses, particularly in anxiety and mood disorders. The identification of distinct functions for D1 and D2 receptors opens new avenues for targeted therapies. Future research will focus on understanding how the dopamine-hippocampus circuit is dysregulated in stress-related conditions, paving the way for improved treatments for anxiety, depression, and addiction.