Introduction to Neuroscience: Reward, Reinforcement, & Addiction

These flashcards cover key concepts from neuroscience related to reward, reinforcement, and addiction, giving a comprehensive overview of neurotransmitters and learning mechanisms.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter involved in reward, reinforcement, and habit formation.

Long Term Potentiation (LTP)

A process that strengthens synapses based on recent patterns of activity, enabling learning.

Pavlovian Conditioning

Learning associations between stimuli where one stimulus predicts another.

Operant Conditioning

Instrumental learning where behaviors are reinforced through rewards or punishments.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter that regulates mood, sleep cycles, and is implicated in depression.

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter involved in muscle activation and also implicated in learning and memory.

Diffuse Modulatory Systems

Neuronal networks that use modulatory neurotransmitters for widespread effects in the brain.

Reward Prediction Error

The difference between expected and received rewards, which guides learning and motivation.

Agonists

Substances that mimic or enhance the action of a neurotransmitter.

Antagonists

Substances that block or reduce the activity of a neurotransmitter.

Synaptic Plasticity

The ability of synapses to strengthen or weaken over time, influencing learning and memory.

Addiction

A chronic condition characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, affecting brain functions.

Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB)

A selective barrier that prevents certain substances from entering the brain from the bloodstream.

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

A previously neutral stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, elicits a conditioned response.

Dopaminergic Neurons

Neurons that release dopamine and play a significant role in the brain's reward system.