These revision notes delve into the developmental programs that control brain wiring to understand the cues that trigger neurons to take the correct shape and connect with appropriate partners. My revision notes also concisely explore how understanding neural circuit assembly suggests ways of treat...
Dopamine
Dopaminergic neuron cell bodies are in the midbrain
Ventral Tegmental area
Substantia Nigra
They project into the forebrain
Prefrontal cortex
Nucleus accumbens
Dorsal Striatum
Cocaine binds to dopamine transporters (involved in Dopamine Uptake) in the
striatum
Increases time dopamine spends in the extracellular space
Amphetamine modifies the presynaptic release of dopamine
How do we know this pathway is involved in reward?
Damage to the nucleus accumbens decreases self-administration of heroin
Mesocorticolimbic pathway needed for drug to have a rewarding effect
The mesocorticolimbic dopamine system
Dopamine neurons projecting from ventral tegmental area to the nucleus
accumbens (striatum) and prefrontal cortex
Critical pathway for reward and reinforcement
Natural reinforcers (e.g. food and sex) increase release of extracellular
dopamine in the nucleus accumbens
All known addictive drugs activate this system
What is dialysis? How is it used to measure dopamine?
Drugs of abuse maintain dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens shell after
repeated exposure – hijack the reward pathway.
Exposure to chocolate causes an increase but an eventual decrease in
dopamine release (study in animals)
Drugs constantly causes the reward learning pathway to activate and
always causes an increase of dopamine, because it is a direct mechanism
on the synaptic terminals
Even if there is pre-exposure to cocaine, there is a release of dopamome
Learning never cease
DSM IV Criteria for substance dependence (drug addiction)
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