Editing Dopaminergic pathways (section)

==== Mesolimbic pathway ====

Referred to as the reward pathway, [[mesolimbic pathway]] projects from the ventral tegmental area to the ventral striatum (VTA → [[Ventral striatum]] [<nowiki/>[[nucleus accumbens]] and [[olfactory tubercle]]]).<ref name=":0" /> When a reward is anticipated, the firing rate of dopamine neurons in the mesolimbic pathway increases.<ref name=":1">{{cite journal | vauthors = Salamone JD, Correa M | title = The mysterious motivational functions of mesolimbic dopamine | journal = Neuron | volume = 76 | issue = 3 | pages = 470–85 | date = November 2012 | pmid = 23141060 | pmc = 4450094 | doi = 10.1016/j.neuron.2012.10.021 }}</ref> The mesolimbic pathway is involved with [[incentive salience]], [[motivation]], reinforcement learning, fear and other cognitive processes.<ref name="NHM pathways" /><ref name="ADHD 2008 paper" /><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Pezze MA, Feldon J | title = Mesolimbic dopaminergic pathways in fear conditioning | journal = Progress in Neurobiology | volume = 74 | issue = 5 | pages = 301–20 | date = December 2004 | pmid = 15582224 | doi = 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2004.09.004 | s2cid = 36091832 }}</ref> In animal studies, depletion of dopamine in this pathway, or lesions at its site of origin, decrease the extent to which an animal is willing to go to obtain a reward (e.g., the number of lever presses for nicotine or time searching for food).<ref name=":1" /> Research is ongoing to determine the role of the mesolimbic pathway in the perception of pleasure.<ref name="Pleasure system">{{cite journal | vauthors = Berridge KC, Kringelbach ML | title = Pleasure systems in the brain | journal = Neuron | volume = 86 | issue = 3 | pages = 646–64 | date = May 2015 | pmid = 25950633 | pmc = 4425246 | doi = 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.02.018 | quote = To summarize: the emerging realization that many diverse pleasures share overlapping brain substrates; better neuroimaging maps for encoding human pleasure in orbitofrontal cortex; identification of hotspots and separable brain mechanisms for generating ‘liking’ and ‘wanting’ for the same reward; identification of larger keyboard patterns of generators for desire and dread within NAc, with multiple modes of function; and the realization that dopamine and most ‘pleasure electrode’ candidates for brain hedonic generators probably did not cause much pleasure after all. }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Berridge KC, Kringelbach ML | title = Neuroscience of affect: brain mechanisms of pleasure and displeasure | journal = Current Opinion in Neurobiology | volume = 23 | issue = 3 | pages = 294–303 | date = June 2013 | pmid = 23375169 | pmc = 3644539 | doi = 10.1016/j.conb.2013.01.017 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book| vauthors = Nestler EJ |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1191071328|title=Molecular neuropharmacology a foundation for clinical neuroscience|date=2020|others=Paul J. Kenny, Scott J. Russo, Anne, MD Schaefer|isbn=978-1-260-45691-2|edition=Fourth |location=New York|oclc=1191071328}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Berridge KC, Kringelbach ML | title = Pleasure systems in the brain | journal = Neuron | volume = 86 | issue = 3 | pages = 646–64 | date = May 2015 | pmid = 25950633 | pmc = 4425246 | doi = 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.02.018 }}</ref>
[[File:Nigrostriatal Pathway.png|thumb|The nigrostriatal pathway is involved in behaviors relating to movement and motivation.]]