There are several brain regions that have been implicated in the control of motivated
behavior and whose disruption leads to the pathophysiology observed in major psychiatric …

The neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) has a long association with normal functions such as
motor control, cognition, and reward, as well as a number of syndromes including drug …

For over three decades, Allan N. Schore has authored numerous volumes, chapters, and
articles on regulation theory, a biopsychosocial model of the development …

Physiological and pharmacological studies indicate that descending projections from the
prefrontal cortex modulate dopaminergic transmission in the nucleus accumbens septi and …

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) has long been known to be involved in the mediation of complex
behavioral responses. Considerable research efforts are directed towards refining the …

Midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons fire bursts of activity in response to sensory stimuli,
including those associated with primary reward. They are therefore conditional bursters–the …

GABAergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) play a primary role in local inhibition
of mesocorticolimbic dopamine (DA) neurons but are not physiologically or anatomically …

Drug addiction is a brain disorder caused by the repetitive use of various chemicals which
alter normal functioning of the central nervous system with consequent behavioral …

In response to behaviorally salient stimuli, dopamine (DA) neurons fire in bursts. Burst firing
induces a large transient increase in synaptic DA and is regarded as the functionally …

Midbrain dopamine neurons in vivo discharge in a single‐spike firing pattern or in a burst‐
firing pattern. Such activity in vivo strikingly contrasts with the pacemaker activity of the same …