Dopamine: The Neuromodulator of Long-Term Synaptic Plasticity, Reward and Movement Control

Speranza, Luisa; di Porzio, Umberto; Viggiano, Davide; de Donato, Antonio; Volpicelli, Floriana

doi:10.3390/cells10040735

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Dopamine: The Neuromodulator of Long-Term Synaptic Plasticity, Reward and Movement Control

by

Luisa Speranza

¹,

Umberto di Porzio

^2,*,

Davide Viggiano

³

,

Antonio de Donato

³ and

Floriana Volpicelli

⁴

¹

Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA

²

Institute of Genetics and Biophysics “Adriano Buzzati Traverso”, CNR, 80131 Naples, Italy

³

Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Genetic Research Institute “Gaetano Salvatore”, University of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”, IT and Biogem S.c.a.r.l., 83031 Ariano Irpino, Italy

⁴

Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Cells 2021, 10(4), 735; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10040735

Submission received: 25 February 2021 / Revised: 20 March 2021 / Accepted: 23 March 2021 / Published: 26 March 2021

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dopamine Signaling: From Synapses to Behavior)

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Abstract

Dopamine (DA) is a key neurotransmitter involved in multiple physiological functions including motor control, modulation of affective and emotional states, reward mechanisms, reinforcement of behavior, and selected higher cognitive functions. Dysfunction in dopaminergic transmission is recognized as a core alteration in several devastating neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and addiction. Here we will discuss the current insights on the role of DA in motor control and reward learning mechanisms and its involvement in the modulation of synaptic dynamics through different pathways. In particular, we will consider the role of DA as neuromodulator of two forms of synaptic plasticity, known as long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) in several cortical and subcortical areas. Finally, we will delineate how the effect of DA on dendritic spines places this molecule at the interface between the motor and the cognitive systems. Specifically, we will be focusing on PD, vascular dementia, and schizophrenia.

Keywords: dopamine; reward; motor control; synaptic plasticity; LTP; LTD; schizophrenia; Parkinson’s disease; vascular dementia

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MDPI and ACS Style

Speranza, L.; di Porzio, U.; Viggiano, D.; de Donato, A.; Volpicelli, F. Dopamine: The Neuromodulator of Long-Term Synaptic Plasticity, Reward and Movement Control. Cells 2021, 10, 735. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10040735

AMA Style

Speranza L, di Porzio U, Viggiano D, de Donato A, Volpicelli F. Dopamine: The Neuromodulator of Long-Term Synaptic Plasticity, Reward and Movement Control. Cells. 2021; 10(4):735. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10040735

Chicago/Turabian Style

Speranza, Luisa, Umberto di Porzio, Davide Viggiano, Antonio de Donato, and Floriana Volpicelli. 2021. "Dopamine: The Neuromodulator of Long-Term Synaptic Plasticity, Reward and Movement Control" Cells 10, no. 4: 735. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10040735

APA Style

Speranza, L., di Porzio, U., Viggiano, D., de Donato, A., & Volpicelli, F. (2021). Dopamine: The Neuromodulator of Long-Term Synaptic Plasticity, Reward and Movement Control. Cells, 10(4), 735. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10040735

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Dopamine: The Neuromodulator of Long-Term Synaptic Plasticity, Reward and Movement Control

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