DA release dynamics in TS during associative fear learning and reward task a Schematic of the surgical procedure. b Example histological image showing expression of dLight (green), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH, red) and DAPI (blue) staining. White vertical track indicates the optical fiber placement. ASt amygdalostriatal transition area, BLA basolateral amygdala, CEA central nucleus of the amygdala, GP globus pallidus. Scale bar: 0.5 mm. c Schematic of the behavioral protocol. d Freezing to the CS (n = 8 mice) during Hab, FC and Fear Recall. e Top: Average dLight activity around each CS during Hab, FC and Fear Recall across all recording sites (n = 10). The heat map shows response amplitudes (dF/F). Bottom: average change in fluorescence around the time of CS presentation (gray area). The red area during FC represents the US presentation. f Left: comparison of average change in fluorescence during CS1 and CS5 of FC (n = 10, **P = 0.008, two-sided signed-rank test). Right: comparison of average change in fluorescence during US1 and US5 of FC (n = 10, **P = 0.009, two-sided signed-rank test). g Left: average change in fluorescence in the 5 s after CS onset during Hab and Fear Recall (**P = 0.002, two-sided signed-rank test). Right: scatter plot showing CS responses of each recording site (n = 10) during Hab and Fear Recall. Data points below the unity line represent larger CS responses during Fear Recall. h Schematic of the reward task. Animals received reward 50% of the time after entering the noseport. Schematic reprinted from ref. ²⁸, copyright (2023), with permission from Elsevier. i Average change in fluorescence during rewarded noseport entries (NE, n = 10). j Average change in fluorescence in the 3 s after noseport entry during rewarded NE (n = 10). k Scatter plot showing responses from each recording site (n = 10) during unpredicted US (first US of FC) and unpredicted reward. Data points below the unity line represent larger responses for Unpredicted US. Shaded regions and error bars represent mean ± s.e.m. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.