The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is a brain region processing salient sensory and emotional
information, controlling motivated behaviors, natural or drug-related reward, reward-related …

The mesolimbic dopamine system comprises distinct compartments supporting different
functions in learning and motivation. Less well understood is how complex addiction-related …

Postpartum adversity is among the strongest predictors for the emergence of postpartum
depression (PPD) in humans and a translational risk factor employed in rodent models …

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of inactivation of ventral tegmental area
(VTA) projection neurons, while sparing fibers of passage, on maternal behavior in rats …

Adaptive behaviors often require the learning of appropriate responses to rewarding stimuli,
yet aberrant learning processes can lead to serious diseases such as addiction. Dopamine …

Stress is prevalent in the lives of those with substance use disorders (SUDs) and influences
SUD outcomes. Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms through which stress …

Rationale Exposure to intermittent social defeat stress elicits corticotropin releasing factor
(CRF) release into the VTA and induces long-term modulation of mesocorticolimbic …

Ethanol (EtOH) and cocaine are both self-administered into the posterior ventral tegmental
area (VTA). Self-administration of either drug is prevented by coadministration of a serotonin …

It is well established that the reinforcing effect of drugs of abuse is linked to the mesolimbic
dopamine (DA) system. Morphine produces an increase in DA release in the brain, which …

Dopamine receptor stimulation is critical for heroin-conditioned immunomodulation;
however, it is unclear whether the ventral tegmental area (VTA) contributes to this …