Fig. 1: NAc Ca²⁺ activity during sucrose reward seeking is related to behavioral outcome.

A Surgery, fiber photometry configuration, and experimental timeline. B Diagram of a coronal section containing the NAc, showing the positions of fiber optic tips in Retrievers (red) and Non-retrievers (black). C % Pellets retrieved in the two groups of mice: Retrievers (R) and Non-retrievers (NR). D Left, Representative heat maps of NAc Ca²⁺ Z-scores from a Retriever (R) versus a Non-retriever (NR) mouse during SA training over 30 min. Each row represented an individual trial with ALP aligned at t = 0 s. Right, Group-averaged Z-scores of NAc Ca²⁺ activity from Retriever mice versus Non-retriever mice, shown as Mean +/− SEM from all mice in each group. Yellow shades, periods used for AUC calculations. Green arrow, time of ALP; red arrow, time of sucrose pellet reward delivery. E The Retrievers had greater total Ca²⁺ activity than the Non-retrievers, calculated as AUC from −5 s till 10 s. F The Non-retrievers had greater #ALP than the Retrievers during the test as in D, E. ALP active-lever press, AUC area-under-curve, NAc nucleus accumbens, NR non-retriever, R retriever, SA self-administration. Data were represented as mean ± SEM. Each circle represents a mouse. n = 6 – 12 mice in each group. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, **** p < 0.0001.