A single receptor can activate multiple signaling pathways that have distinct or even
opposite effects on cell function. Biased agonists stabilize receptor conformations …

The molecular pathways underlying the induction and maintenance of long-term synaptic
plasticity have been extensively investigated revealing various mechanisms by which …

Reinforcement learning models postulate that neurons that release dopamine encode
information about action and action outcome, and provide a teaching signal to striatal spiny …

The ability to suppress actions that lead to a negative outcome and explore alternative
actions is necessary for optimal decision making. Although the basal ganglia have been …

Abstract Background The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is an important region in reward circuit
that has been linked with anhedonia, which is a characteristic symptom of major depressive …

Protein kinases control nearly every facet of cellular function. These key signaling nodes
integrate diverse pathway inputs to regulate complex physiological processes, and aberrant …

The basal ganglia are key neural substrates not only for motor function, but also cognitive
functions including reward and aversive learning. Critical for these processes are the …

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is a universal second messenger that plays a
crucial role in diverse biological functions, ranging from transcription to neuronal plasticity …

Neuromodulation imposes powerful control over brain function, and cAMP-dependent
protein kinase (PKA) is a central downstream mediator of multiple neuromodulators …

Dopamine signalling is a crucial part of the brain reward system and can affect feeding
behaviour. Dopamine receptors are also expressed in the hypothalamus, which is known to …