We demonstrate here that astrocytes in the striatum interact with striatal dopamine in bidirectional signaling with dopamine release actively driving surges in astrocytic Ca++, which in turn modulate ...

Lazaridis et al. delineate a previously unrecognized pair of striosomal direct D1 and indirect D2 circuits that target substantia nigra dopamine-containing neurons, controllers of mood, action, and reinforcement learning. These striosomal circuits have effects opposing those of the canonical D1-direct/D2-indirect pathways, likely modulating them.