The Role of Dopamine in Neural Circuits
A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (9 February 2022) | Viewed by 37242
Special Issue Editors
Interests: pathophysiology mechanisms of neurodegenerative disorders; Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases; neuropsychological disorders; schizophrenia; depression
Interests: dopamine; dopamine receptor; ingestion; licking microstructure; motivation; reward; behavioral activation; antidepressant drugs; depression model
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The classic anatomical separation of the midbrain dopaminergic pathways into four distinct circuits was defined over four decades ago and remains valid today. The multiple subsets of the midbrain dopaminergic neurons transmit distinct functional signals with different roles in the brain. For example, dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) project to the prefrontal cortex via the mesocortical and to the nucleus accumbens via the mesolimbic pathways, and play a role in reward and motivation. The dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, that project to the striatum, form the nigrostriatal pathway and are associated with the control of motor function and procedural learning. Lastly, in the tuberoinfundibular pathway, dopaminergic neurons in the hypothalamus project to the pituitary gland and regulate the secretion of prolactin. Over the past decade, however, our understanding of the midbrain dopaminergic circuitry has changed from a simple anatomo-functional classification to a more intricately organized complex of interdigitated dopamine neuron subtypes that express different molecular features, with specific signaling, functional properties, and a diverse behavioral outcome. A comprehensive review of the organization and dynamic characteristics of the dopaminergic circuitry is essential to understand its physiological role in multiple biological functions, as well as its involvement in neurological and psychiatric diseases. This research topic focuses on presenting recent advances on the role of dopamine in motivation, drug addiction, motor control, and reward and aversive processing, while providing a link to the associated brain circuitry and its relevance to neuropsychiatric function and potential therapies.
Dr. Suelen Boschen
Dr. Paolo D'Aquila
Dr. Deranda Lester
Guest Editors
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Keywords
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The Role of Dopamine in Neural Circuits
dopamine - motivation
- reward
- aversion
- learning
- motor behavior
- dopamine receptors
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