The study investigates the input-specific control of reward and aversion in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of mice. The VTA is a key brain region involved in adaptive and pathological brain functions related to reward and motivation. The researchers found that different inputs to the VTA from the laterodorsal tegmentum (LDT) and the lateral habenula (LHb) elicit distinct motivational responses: LDT inputs trigger reward behaviors, while LHb inputs elicit aversion. LDT neurons primarily synapse on dopamine neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens lateral shell, and LHb neurons primarily synapse on dopamine neurons projecting to the medial prefrontal cortex and GABAergic neurons in the VTA tail. These findings provide a framework for understanding how distinct circuits in the VTA generate reward and aversion, and their potential roles in adaptive and pathological behaviors. The study also highlights the importance of understanding the detailed synaptic connectivity of these inputs to better understand the complex motivational systems in the brain.The study investigates the input-specific control of reward and aversion in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of mice. The VTA is a key brain region involved in adaptive and pathological brain functions related to reward and motivation. The researchers found that different inputs to the VTA from the laterodorsal tegmentum (LDT) and the lateral habenula (LHb) elicit distinct motivational responses: LDT inputs trigger reward behaviors, while LHb inputs elicit aversion. LDT neurons primarily synapse on dopamine neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens lateral shell, and LHb neurons primarily synapse on dopamine neurons projecting to the medial prefrontal cortex and GABAergic neurons in the VTA tail. These findings provide a framework for understanding how distinct circuits in the VTA generate reward and aversion, and their potential roles in adaptive and pathological behaviors. The study also highlights the importance of understanding the detailed synaptic connectivity of these inputs to better understand the complex motivational systems in the brain.