The interconnected nuclei of the ventral basal ganglia have long been identified as key
regulators of motivated behavior, and dysfunction of this circuit is strongly implicated in …

Genome engineering technologies provide an entry point into understanding and controlling
the function of genetic elements in health and disease. The discovery and development of …

Rates of individuals struggling with psychostimulant use disorder (PSUD), defined as
chronic use of psychostimulants despite negative consequences, are growing rapidly over …

Reward-predictive cues acquire motivating and reinforcing properties that contribute to the
escalation and relapse of drug use in addiction. The ventral pallidum (VP) and ventral …

The ventral pallidum (VP) is a central hub in the reward circuitry with diverse projections that
have different behavioral roles attributed mostly to the connectivity with the downstream …

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are polygenic in nature and copy number variants
(CNVs) are ideal candidates to study the nature of this polygenic risk. The disruption of …

Understanding the neural mechanisms that control addiction processes, including drug-
seeking and relapse, is key to finding new targets for substance use disorder (SUD) …

The ventral pallidum is a prominent structure within the basal ganglia, regulating reward and
motivational processes. Positioned at the interface between motor and limbic structures, its …

Individuals with cocaine addiction can experience many craving episodes and subsequent
relapses, which represents the main obstacle to recovery. Craving is often favored when …

Substance use disorder is a chronic disease and a leading cause of disability around the
world. The NAc is a major brain hub mediating reward behavior. Studies demonstrate …