What brain structure contains the nucleus accumbens?
What brain structure contains the nucleus accumbens?
The nucleus accumbens is found in an area of the brain called the basal forebrain. There is a nucleus accumbens in each cerebral hemisphere; it is situated between the caudate and putamen. The nucleus accumbens is considered part of the basal ganglia and also is the main component of the ventral striatum.
What is the nucleus accumbens connected to?
The nucleus accumbens receives dopaminergic inputs from the ventral tegmental area, which connect via the mesolimbic pathway.
What is the striatum?
The striatum is the input module to the basal ganglia, a neuronal circuit necessary for voluntary movement control (Hikosaka et al., 2000). The striatum is composed of three nuclei: caudate, putamen, and ventral striatum. The latter contains the nucleus accumbens (NAcc).
What does the locus coeruleus do?
The locus coeruleus (LC), a small brainstem nucleus, is the primary source of the neuromodulator norepinephrine (NE) in the brain. The LC receives input from widespread brain regions, and projects throughout the forebrain, brainstem, cerebellum, and spinal cord.
Is the nucleus accumbens in the prefrontal cortex?
Abstract. Previous experimental studies have shown that the prefrontal cortex (PFC) regulates the activity of the nucleus accumbens (NAc), and in particular the release of dopamine in this area of the brain.
What is the olfactory tubercle?
The olfactory tubercle in mammals is a prominent bulge on the base of the brain just caudal to the olfactory peduncle and medial to the LOT, receiving direct afferent input from OB mitral and tufted cells (Heimer, 1968; de Olmos et al., 1978; Scott et al., 1980).
What is caudate and putamen?
The putamen (/pjutˈeɪmən/; from Latin, meaning “nutshell”) is a round structure located at the base of the forebrain (telencephalon). The putamen and caudate nucleus together form the dorsal striatum. It is also one of the structures that compose the basal nuclei.
Is the nucleus accumbens part of the striatum?
Background: The nucleus accumbens is the ventral extent of the striatum, the main input nucleus of the basal ganglia. Recent hypotheses propose that the accumbens and its dopamine projection from the midbrain contribute to appetitive behaviors required to obtain reward.
Where is the LC located in the brain?
pons
The locus coeruleus, which I’ll refer to as the LC from here on out to avoid an inevitable misspelling, is a nucleus found in the pons. It is located near the floor of the fourth ventricle.
What is the dorsal raphe nucleus?
The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) is a major source of neuromodulators in the central nervous system, and is the largest of the serotonergic nuclei, containing approximately a third of all serotonergic neurons (5-HT neurons) in the brain (Hornung, 2010).
