Mesolimbic pathway
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The mesolimbic pathway, sometimes referred to as the reward pathway, is a dopaminergic pathway in the brain.[1] The pathway connects the ventral tegmental area, which is located in the midbrain, to the nucleus accumbens. The mesolimbic pathway releases dopamine into the nucleus accumbens, where it affects motivation for rewarding stimuli, the perception of pleasure, and reward-related motor function learning.[2][3][4] It is the most significant neural pathway in the brain in which changes occur in all known forms of addiction.[1][5][6][7]
Contents
Anatomy
The following structures are considered to be a part of the mesolimbic pathway:
- Ventral tegmental area
- The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is a part of the midbrain. It consists of dopaminergic, GABAergic, and glutamatergic neurons.[8] The VTA communicates with the nucleus accumbens via the medial forebrain bundle.
- Nucleus accumbens
- The nucleus accumbens is found in the ventral striatum and is composed of medium spiny neurons.[9][10] It is subdivided into limbic and motor subregions known as the shell and core.[8] The medium spiny neurons receive input from both the dopaminergic neurons of the VTA and the glutamatergic neurons of the hippocampus, amygdala, and medial prefrontal cortex. When they are activated by these inputs, the medium spiny neurons' projections release GABA onto the ventral pallidum.[8] The release of dopamine in this structure drives the mesolimbic system.
Clinical significance
This pathway plays a central role in neurobiology of addiction;[5][6][7] in particular, a drug addiction is defined as the compulsive use of a drug that is rewarding (i.e., activate this pathway), despite adverse consequences.[8][11] It is also implicated in schizophrenia and depression.[12][13][14] Addiction, schizophrenia, and depression all involve distinct structural changes within this pathway.[12]
Other dopamine pathways
The other dopamine pathways are:
See also
References
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- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Pierce RC, Kumaresan V. 2006. The mesolimbic dopamine system: The final common pathway for the reinforcing effect of drugs of abuse? Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews 30:215-38
- ↑ Zhang TA, Maldve RE, Morrisett RA. 2006. Coincident signaling in mesolimbic structures underlying alcohol reinforcement. Biochemical Pharmacology 72:919-27
- ↑ Purves D et al. 2008. Neuroscience. Sinauer 4ed. 754-56
- ↑ Janhunen S, Ahtee L. 2007. Differential nicotinic regulation of the nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopaminergic pathways: Implications for drug development. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews 31:287–314
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Van den Heuval DMA, Pasterkamp RJ. 2008. Getting connected in the dopamine system. Progress in Neurobiology 85:75–93
- ↑ Laviolette SR. 2007. Dopamine modulation of emotional processing in cortical and subcortical neural circuits: evidence for a final common pathway in schizophrenia? Schizoprenia Bulletin 33:971–981
- ↑ Diaz J. 1996. How Drugs Influence Behavior: A Neurobehavorial Approach. Prentice Hall
