Whole-brain mapping of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons reveals a long-range reciprocal input-output loop between distinct subtypes

Authors: Zhaonan Chen, Yanmei Liu, Yunqi Yang, Lizhao Wang, Meiling Qin, Zhishan Jiang, Min Xu, Siyu Zhang

Published: 2025-05-30

DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adt1617

Source: Full article

---

Abstract

Basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCNs) influence cognition and emotion through specific acetylcholine release in various brain regions, including the prefrontal cortices and basolateral amygdala (BLA). Acetylcholine release is controlled by distinct BFCN subtypes, modulated by excitatory and inhibitory inputs. However, the organization of the whole-brain input-output networks of these subtypes remains unclear. Here, we identified two distinct BFCN subtypes—BFCN