The nucleus accumbens is a major input structure of the basal ganglia and integrates
information from cortical and limbic structures to mediate goal-directed behaviors. Chronic …

Midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons are proposed to signal reward prediction error (RPE), a
fundamental parameter in associative learning models. This RPE hypothesis provides a …

Understanding the brain circuitry that underlies reward is critical to improve treatment for
many common health issues, including obesity, depression, and addiction. Here we focus …

High rates of relapse to drug use during abstinence is a defining feature of drug addiction. In
abstinent drug users, drug relapse is often precipitated by acute exposure to the self …

Nucleus accumbens neurons serve to integrate information from cortical and limbic regions
to direct behaviour. Addictive drugs are proposed to hijack this system, enabling drug …

Background and rationale Results from many clinical studies suggest that drug relapse and
craving are often provoked by acute exposure to the self-administered drug or related drugs …

Here, we review the neural circuit bases of habits, compulsions, and addictions, behaviors
which are all characterized by relatively automatic action performance. We discuss relevant …

Despite the importance of numerous psychosocial factors, at its core, drug addiction involves
a biological process: the ability of repeated exposure to a drug of abuse to induce changes …

The prefrontal cortex plays an important role in sha** cognition and behavior. Many
studies have shown that medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) plays a key role in seeking …

Dendritic spines are multifunctional integrative units of the nervous system and are highly
diverse and dynamic in nature. Both internal and external stimuli influence dendritic spine …