Interaction between auditory areas of the brain and the reward system drive pleasure when we listen to music.
Early life stress induces epigenetic modifications in D2-type medium spiny neurons in the nucleus accumbens, increasing the susceptibility to stress in adulthood.
Increased activity in the nucleus accumbens forecasted an increase in stock price within the next day, whereas increased activity in the anterior insular was predictive of whether a stock price would flip or change direction.
Enzyme activity outside of specific cell types contribute to synaptic plasticity associated with addiction behaviors.
Glutamatergic neural connections between the prelimbic prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens appear to be responsible for co-morbid anxiety and OCD behaviors.
A new study reveals specific brain regions that individually promote patience through the action of serotonin.
Cocaine and sucrose neuron ensembles in the nucleus accumbens are mostly non-overlapping.
Astrocytes respond to cocaine exposure in the brains of mice by promoting the formation of new synapses.
Neuroimaging reveals the higher density of cells in the nucleus accumbens is associated with a larger waist circumference in children.
Researchers temporarily switched off the neural pathway between the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens in primate models, negatively impacting motivation, but not learning.
The key to performance and motivation lies within the ratio of glutamine and glutamate in the nucleus accumbens. The ratio of glutamine to glutamate relates specifically to stamina.
Examining the brains of frequent cannabis users, researchers have identified a pattern of connectivity related to craving the substance. The findings add weight to the idea that brain regions do not work in isolation, but via the connectivity of multiple networks that signal to each other depending on state and need. Brain connectivity during cannabis cravings is not static but has fluctuations in connection patterns between the central executive network and nucleus accumbens.
