pharmacology Brain and Behavior

Ventral Tegmental Area VTA

• groups of neurons located in the midbrain

• origin of the dopaminergic cell bodies

• highly involved in addictive drugs and natural rewards

Pre-Frontal Cortex

• attention

• decision making

• priorities

• working memory

• self control

• over ride initial response from the amygdala (fear of response)

striatum

• voluntary movements

• feeding

• drinking

• body movement

• dopamine is a major neurotransmitter

nucleus accumbens

• converts motivation to actions

• rewards

• dopamine is a major neurotransmitter

Substantia Nigra

• high levels of neurotransmitter

• movement

• addictions

• rewards

• supplies striatum with dopamine

• lack of can cause Parkinson diseases

Dopamine

• motivating behavior

• rewards us of behaviors and motivates us to repeat those actions again

• produces changes in the brain

• persistent and life lasting changes