Mesolimbic Dopamine Pathway Analysis

This video is about The Behaving Brain; it explains how the brain and amnesia work. According to the video, neurons duties are to receive information from other cells, process this information, and transmitting it to the rest of the body. This is done by traveling through dendrites, to the soma, to the axon, to the terminal buttons. Constant nerve flow helps regulate our metabolism, temperature, and respiration. It also enables learning and the ability to comprehend. The brain is connected to the brain stem, which is connected to the cerebellum, which is connected to the limbic system. The limbic system is made up of the amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and thalamus. The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain, where things are

The primary function of the nucleus accumbens in the brain is to be act as somewhat of a "reward circuit". Actions that are registered in our brains as a rewards include activities such as taking drugs, having sex, making money or eating food (Hall). Because of this message sent to our brains that are saying we have been rewards, dopamine and other neurons are triggered. According to Psychologytoday.com, “Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain's reward and pleasure centers. [It] helps regulate movement and emotional responses, and it enables us not only to see rewards, but to take action to move toward them” (Psychologytoday.com). In other words, dopamine is another type of neurotransmitter that releases a “feel good” sensation in our bodies when we do something that brings us pleasure. This dopamine and other neurons have the ability to move themselves closer to the nucleus accumbens. After their arrival, they activate themselves and this activation results in the rise dopamine levels.

The limbic system was first recognized due to Franz Josef Gall (LeDoux, J., 1996). Franz Joseph Gall developed the idea of “phrenology” that focused on the study of the different variations of bumps on the human skull to be related to differences in behavioral and emotional functioning. The limbic system’s main function in the brain is to control emotional behaviors and certain forms of memories that are infused with emotion (amygdala). The amygdala is a part of the brain that forms the tail end of the basal ganglia within the rostral temporal lobe and is located near the hippocampus (Lambert, K.G. & Kinsley, C .H., 2005). The amygdala, as defined by the text, is an almond-shaped structure that functions as a part of the limbic system involved in regulation of emotion and sexual urges (Lambert, K.G. & Kinsley, C .H., 2005). In addition, the amygdala is comprised of a dozen or more sub regions that are not all involved in fear conditioning (LeDoux, J., 1996).

In the past two decades, research on the role of dopamine in the brain has proceeded apace. A key finding is that dopamine is not the “reward” chemical, at least not in the way that the media would have us

Dopamine is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter that stimulates the brains reward centre. It’s responsible for those pleasurable feelings we get from things like eating nice food, falling in love, laughing and addictions to drugs, alcohol, gambling and sex. That being said, it’s easy to understand why dopamine is closely linked to sex addiction.

The release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens is a condition for positive reinforcement however some addictive drugs trigger release of dopamine and yet others inhibit the re-uptake of dopamine; both cases indicate use of dopamine in their reactions. (Harvard Health Publications ,

They regulate the functions that ensure the body's survival — blood circulation, digestion, respiration, bio-assimilation — but also emotions like fear when faced with danger. The most recent parts of the brain, those which are particularly developed in the human species, are the frontal lobes that enable reflection, knowledge, imagination, and control of emotions. For a well-balanced personality, emotions must be able to develop normally, and the brain must learn to recognize and control

The limbic system links together a bunch of brain structures that control our emotional responses, such as feeling

Norepinephrine is the most predominant transmitter in the body and its receptors are found in the locus ceruleus, projecting throughout the rest of the brain. The transporters responsible for reuptake of norepinephrine depends on the presence of extracellular sodium and calcium to function. Norepinephrine is primarily responsible for the stress response and also awareness of surroundings, attention, learning, memory, sleep and arousal. Dopamine is primarily found in the brain and there are numerous receptors and pathways that dopamine uses to influence learning, clarity of memories, judgment/insight, pleasure, motivation, and complex motor movements. Because of its effects, dopamine is often targeted in addictive behaviors, psychosis, Parkinson’s

Neurotransmitters are chemicals from the brain that send messages to the rest of the body to initiate an action or response. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter secreted from three areas in the body: 1) dopanergic neurons in the VTA of the midbrain, 2) substantia nigra pars compacta, and 3) arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. It is different from most neurotransmitters in that it is both inhibitory and excitatory. It also has five different receptors that it can bind to, making up only a small part of what determines its effect. Dopamine has been proven to have direct correlations to motivation and reward, issues in the central nervous system, and with psychological disorders and disease. Elevated or depleted dopamine levels are largely responsible for a number of illnesses and disorders, for example: Parkinson’s disease, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), and addiction.

The complex structures of the limbic system boarder the thalamus, belt around the fornix and the Corpus Callosum. The limbic system possesses an array of unique functions due to its complex and unique structures. The system contains the hypothalamus, mammillary bodies, septal area, amygdala, hippocampus, orbital and medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, ventral striatum and cingulate gyrus (ebrain, 2016). The limbic lobe is mainly responsible for facilitating mental functions and behavior such as emotions, cognition, judgment, impulsivity, learning, memory, pain, perception, motivation, and reward (ebrain, 2016). It is generally a site for the establishment of memory, learning and emotion.

The hippocampus involves memory and encoding new information: past experiences & facts, feelings, thoughts, and awareness of our autobiographical past. The Hippocampus controls our emotional response by transforming sensory stimuli into emotional and hormonal signals then refers this information to other parts that control behavior.

Dopamine is one of the organic chemical compounds secreted by the brain. It is mainly produced in areas of the central and peripheral nervous systems, substantial-nigra. It is a neurotransmitter that is mainly used to carry messages between different neurons. It also regulates a variety of functions within body and brain. It helps to regulate blood flow through the arteries, modulates eating habits, contributes to learning and high cognitive functioning, reinforces

The limbic system is the border between the new brain and the old brain. It’s also has a lot to do with the emotions that we feel every day in life. The hypothalamus is another part of brain that is connected to our emotions and may have something to do with people abusing their partner. The anger that people feel could explain their behavior towards the partner. It also tells the pituitary gland what to do.

     The blood brain barrier protects brain cells from harmful substances, as well as, pathogens, by preventing passage of many substances from blood into brain tissue.