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Dopamine Pathways

Dopamine pathways in the human brain

The pathways of dopamine are basically paths of interconnected neurons (via synapses) that signal to each other via, amongst other neurotransmitters, dopamine.

The mesolimbic pathway connects two parts of the brain: the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and is believed to be involved in pleasure, mood, emotions, etc. It is also believed to be overactive in schizophrenia and this is believed to be responsible for the so called “positive symptoms” of the disorder, such as hallucinations and delusions.

There is also the mesocortical pathway which connects the VTA with the frontal cortex. This pathway is believed to be involved in cognition, specifically the following aspects: working memory, attention, decision-making, problem-solving, impulse control, etc. It is believed to be underactive in people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and schizophrenia.

Sometimes the mesolimbic and mesocortical circuits may be considered one and called the mesocorticolimbic pathway.

The last one in the human brain is called the nigrostriatal pathway, which connects the substantia nigra and striatum and controls our voluntary movements, it is the pathway that is gradually destroyed in Parkinson disease.



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