Cited by 561Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research

Biological substrates of reward and aversion: A nucleus accumbens activity hypothesis

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Carlezon, William A., Thomas, Mark J.·2009·Neuropharmacology

Abstract

The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a critical element of the mesocorticolimbic system, a brain circuit implicated in reward and motivation. This basal forebrain structure receives dopamine (DA) input from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and glutamate (GLU) input from regions including the prefrontal cortex (PFC), amygdala (AMG), and hippocampus (HIP). As such, it integrates inputs from limbic and cortical regions, linking motivation with action. The NAc has a well-established role in mediating the rewarding effects of drugs of abuse and natural rewards such as food and sexual behavior. However, accumulating pharmacological, molecular, and electrophysiological evidence has raised the possibility that it also plays an important (and sometimes underappreciated) role in mediating aversive states. Here we review evidence that rewarding and aversive states are encoded in the activity of NAc medium spiny GABAergic neurons, which account for the vast majority of the neurons in this region. While admittedly simple, this working hypothesis is testable using combinations of available and emerging technologies, including electrophysiology, genetic engineering, and functional brain imaging. A deeper understanding of the basic neurobiology of mood states will facilitate the development of well-tolerated medications that treat and prevent addiction and other conditions (e.g., mood disorders) associated with dysregulation of brain motivation systems.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2008.06.075

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Carlezon WA Jr Thome J Olson VG Lane-Ladd SB Brodkin ES Hiroi N Duman RS Neve RL Nestler EJ 1998 Regulation of cocaine reward by CREB Science 282 2272 2275 9856954
  2. Chen MC Parsegian A Carlezon WA Jr 2008 Effect of mesocorticolimbic microinjections of the kappa-opioid agonist U50,488 on intracranial self-stimulation in rats Soc Neurosci Abstr 34 in press
  3. Parsegian A Todtenkopf MS Neve RL Carlezon WA Jr 2006 Viral vector-induced elevations of CREB expression in the nucleus accumbens produces anhedonia in the rat intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) test Soc Neurosci Abstr 33 in press

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Authors
Carlezon, W. A., & Thomas, M. J.
Affiliations
  • Harvard University (US)
  • University of Minnesota (US)
Corresponding author
Carlezon, William A.
Venue
Neuropharmacology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2009-01
Volume
56
Pages
122-132
ISSN
0028-3908 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1977266070
Cited by
561
References
131
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 63 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 32 · 2015: 33 · 2014: 44 · 2013: 45 · 2012: 47
FWCI
3.05
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuropharmacology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA012736, R01DA019666, DA019666, DA012736)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
Keywords
nucleus accumbens, reward, aversion, aversive states, mesocorticolimbic system, medium spiny neurons, GABAergic neurons, dopamine, glutamate, ventral tegmental area, prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, motivation, addiction, mood disorders, drug reward
MeSH terms
Animals, Avoidance Learning, Nucleus Accumbens, Reward, Illicit Drugs

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