Latest

ventral tegmental area

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·May 4, 2020·4 min read

Exercise boosts motor skill learning via changes in brain’s transmitters

Neurons in the caudal pedunculopontine nucleus, an area of the brain that regulates motor coordination, switch neurotransmitters from acetylcholine to GABA as a result of exercise. The switch appears to provide feedback control that regulates motor coordination and skill learning.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·April 9, 2020·4 min read

Novel role for dopamine that impacts gene expression related to cocaine abuse discovered

Reducing H3Q5dop in rat models of cocaine withdrawal significantly reversed cocaine mediated gene expression changes and reduced cocaine-seeking behaviors.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 6, 2020·6 min read

Newly identified digestive-brain axis controls food choice

Study reveals a novel learning process orchestrated between the digestive system and brain that compels animals to seek out novel foods.

This shows the chemical structure of dopamine

Featured Neuroscience

·February 5, 2020·3 min read

Novelty speeds up learning thanks to dopamine activation

Novelty directly activates the dopamine system and enhances associative learning. The findings have implications for the development of new machine learning technologies and educational strategies.

This shows the outline of a head and smokey lines

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 15, 2019·3 min read

Researchers discover potential therapy to treat detrimental effects of marijuana

Prenatal exposure to THC makes dopamine neurons hyperactive and increases the sensitivity to the behavioral effects of the compound during pre-adolescence. This may increase the risk of developing schizophrenia later in life. However, treatment with pregnenolone, a drug under clinical trials for ASD, cannabis use disorder, and schizophrenia, appears to correct the brain abnormalities and behavioral problems associated with prenatal cannabis exposure.

Electrophysiology Featured Neurology Neuroscience Pain Psychology

·September 26, 2019·4 min read

Molecular link between chronic pain and depression revealed

Inhibitory inputs to the neural circuit between the dorsolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (dlBNST) to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) increase when a person is in chronic pain. This alteration is mediated by enhanced corticotropin-releasing factor signaling within the dlBNST, leading to suppression of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. The result is depressive mood and anhedonia associated with chronic pain.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·September 19, 2019·5 min read

Study finds hub linking movement and motivation in the brain

The lateral septum encodes speed and acceleration information as an animal navigates and learns how to obtain a reward from its environment.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 5, 2019·4 min read

Brain circuit connects feeding and mood in response to stress

A new study identifies a novel neural network regulating feeding and mood in response to chronic stress. Inhibiting the POMC to ventral tegmental area circuit increases body weight and food intake while reducing depressive symptoms in mouse models.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·August 26, 2019·3 min read

Spontaneous brain fluctuations influence risk-taking

Fluctuations in the dopaminergic midbrain play a critical role in risky decision making.

This shows a woman looking at different faces

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 8, 2019·2 min read

The neurochemistry of social perception

Researchers examined the effects oxytocin and vasopressin had on perceptions of social dominance. Oxytocin increased perception of greater dominance. Neuroimaging revealed the findings were also reflected in changes in brain regions associated with social perception.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 25, 2019·3 min read

The science behind giving up

Pnoc neurons in the paranigral ventral tegmental area become active when mice seek rewards. Stimulating these neurons with optogenetics promotes avoidance behaviors. Researchers say ventral tegmental area dopamine neuron NOPR expression is necessary to limit reward-seeking behavior.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 22, 2019·4 min read

Early life exposure to nicotine alters neurons, predisposes brain to addiction later

Mouse study reveals neonatal nicotine exposure primes the ventral tegmental area, making the animals more susceptible to the effects of nicotine when exposed again later in life.