The reward pathway

 ensures beneficial behaviour  also called mesolimbic pathway  connected to:  ventral tegmental area  nucleus accumbens  prefrontal cortex

The reward pathway  Body fully satisfied  Signals from brain areas  inform the VTA  producing dopamine  Dopamine travels along mesolimbic pathway  Nucleus accumbens  reward and sensation of pleasure  Prefrontal cortex  reasoning and planning

The reward pathway  1954  by James Olds and Peter Milner  Electrodes into rats  Continued to press lever (Hebel)  Until exhausted

Addiction DDrugs elevate levels of dopamine bbursts of euphoria BBrain tries re-establishing balance ddecreasing brain‘s responsiveness to dopamine

 Reducing dopamine receptors  tolerant to the drug  Withdrawal  anhedonia  inability to feel pleasure

The diencephalon  Above midbrain  between hemispheres  important structures  thalamus  hypothalamus

Thalamus eessential in: ggating pprocessing ttransfering sensory information

Hypothalamus  Functions controlled and regulated  essential for motivation  seeking out rewarding activities  hormone regulator  body‘s daily cycle:  circadian rhythm

The basal ganglia  Connected to cortex and thalamus  Vital for coordination of fine movement  parkinson‘s disease  ganglia damaged

Amygdala  Significant role  generating emotional responses  fear and desire  affects the way we relate to world  and others around us

Hippocampus  forges memories  works awake and asleep  turns experiences in new neural pathways  for future references

Limbic System  Amygdala  Hippocampus  Basal ganglia  various other structures Limbic System  Key to processing of emotion and motivation

The Cortex  crowning achievement  cerebral cortex  rippling outer layer → brain bark  gives brain unique powers

Thank you for your kind attention!! 