W'axon, wax off: Striatal cholinergic synapses instruct dopamine axon activity

Canonically, axons are considered the output structures of neurons, relaying signals generated at the dendrites and soma. In this issue of Neuron, Kramer et al. challenge this notion by showing that dopaminergic axons can be depolarized directly by cholinergic interneurons and even generate action potentials independent of somatic activity.

Automated summary

Traditionally, axons are believed to function solely as the output structures of neurons. However, this study challenges this notion by demonstrating that dopaminergic axons can be directly depolarized by cholinergic interneurons and generate action potentials independently of somatic activity.