The DOI matches its Crossref record; 357 of the 359 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Cortico-Basal Ganglia Reward Network: Microcircuitry
Open accessAbstract
Many of the brain's reward systems converge on the nucleus accumbens, a region richly innervated by excitatory, inhibitory, and modulatory afferents representing the circuitry necessary for selecting adaptive motivated behaviors. The ventral subiculum of the hippocampus provides contextual and spatial information, the basolateral amygdala conveys affective influence, and the prefrontal cortex provides an integrative impact on goal-directed behavior. The balance of these afferents is under the modulatory influence of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area. This midbrain region receives its own complex mix of excitatory and inhibitory inputs, some of which have only recently been identified. Such afferent regulation positions the dopamine system to bias goal-directed behavior based on internal drives and environmental contingencies. Conditions that result in reward promote phasic dopamine release, which serves to maintain ongoing behavior by selectively potentiating ventral subicular drive to the accumbens. Behaviors that fail to produce an expected reward decrease dopamine transmission, which favors prefrontal cortical-driven switching to new behavioral strategies. As such, the limbic reward system is designed to optimize action plans for maximizing reward outcomes. This system can be commandeered by drugs of abuse or psychiatric disorders, resulting in inappropriate behaviors that sustain failed reward strategies. A fuller appreciation of the circuitry interconnecting the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area should serve to advance discovery of new treatment options for these conditions.
Overview
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“Multiple cortical (Finch, 1996; Sesack and Grace, 2010) and amygdala (McGinty and Grace, 2009) inputs converge onto the same NAc neurons.”
From A framework for understanding the emerging role of corticolimbic-ventral striatal networks in OCD-associated repetitive behaviors (2015) · cites this paper as Sesack and Grace, 2010
In the citing paper
“A grossly oversimplified overview of these circuits is that the prefrontal cortices and hippocampus are devoted to detecting and decoding specific features of stimuli and the environment, including the social environment, to guide decision-making and ensure adaptive, flexible, and predictive responses to rewarding stimuli, whereas the lateral hypothalamus-lateral habenula circuits predominantly En”
From Plasticity of synapses and reward circuit function in the genesis and treatment of depression (2023) · cites this paper as [50]
In the citing paper
“Although several brain structures contribute to the reward circuitry, the central hub within this functional network is the ventral striatum (VS) [10].”
From Social “wanting” dysfunction in autism: neurobiological underpinnings and treatment implications (2012) · cites this paper as [10]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Citations
Cites
LeDoux, J. E. (2000) · Annual Review of Neuroscience · doi:10.1146/annurev.neuro.23.1.155 · Cited by 8,444
Predictive reward signal of dopamine neurons
Schultz, W. (1998) · Journal of Neurophysiology · doi:10.1152/jn.1998.80.1.1 · Cited by 4,564
Neural systems of reinforcement for drug addiction: from actions to habits to compulsion
Everitt, B. J., & Robbins, T. W. (2005) · Nature Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/nn1579 · Cited by 3,785
Neurons containing hypocretin (orexin) project to multiple neuronal systems
Peyron, C., Tighe, D. K., van den Pol, A. N., de Lecea, L., Heller, H. C., Sutcliffe, J. G., & Kilduff, T. S. (1998) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.18-23-09996.1998 · Cited by 3,466
Dopamine, learning and motivation.
Wise, R. A. (2004) · Nature Reviews Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/nrn1406 · Cited by 3,379 · cited 8×
“The DA projection to the NAc also contributes to the rewards associated with drugs of abuse (Koob, 1992; Wise, 2004; Ikemoto, 2007), and plasticity in this system is strongly implicated in addictive disorders that involve compulsive drug-seeking (Wolf et al, 2004; Zweifel et al, 2008).”
InfluentialBardo, M. T., & Hammer, R. P. (1991) · Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/0306-4522(91)90226-e · Cited by 3,229
D 1 and D 2 Dopamine Receptor-regulated Gene Expression of Striatonigral and Striatopallidal Neurons
Gerfen, C. R., Engber, T. M., Mahan, L. C., Susel, Z., Chase, T. N., Monsma, F. J., & Sibley, D. R. (1990) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.2147780 · Cited by 2,967
NEURAL MECHANISMS OF ADDICTION: The Role of Reward-Related Learning and Memory
Hyman, S. E., Malenka, R. C., & Nestler, E. J. (2006) · Annual Review of Neuroscience · doi:10.1146/annurev.neuro.29.051605.113009 · Cited by 2,647
THE BASAL GANGLIA: FOCUSED SELECTION AND INHIBITION OF COMPETING MOTOR PROGRAMS
Mink, J. W. (1996) · Progress in Neurobiology · doi:10.1016/s0301-0082(96)00042-1 · Cited by 2,478
Alexander, G. E., Crutcher, M. D., & DeLong, M. R. (1990) · PubMed · Cited by 2,422
Flagged first, then by citations
2 of the 359 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.
Research works printed but not linked: 8
- Bell RL, Omelchenko N, Sesack SR (2007). Lateral habenula projections to the ventral tegmental area in the rat synapse onto dopamine and GABA neurons. Soc Neurosc Abstr 33: 780.9.
- Dobi A, Morales M (2007). Dopaminergic neurons in the rat ventral tegmental area (VTA) receive glutamatergic inputs from local glutamatergic neurons. Soc Neurosci Abstr 916: 8.
- Jhou TC, Gallagher M (2007). Paramedian raphe neurons that project to midbrain dopamine neurons are activated by aversive stimuli. Soc Neurosci Abstr 425: 5.
- Lewis DA, Sesack SR (1997). Dopamine systems in the primate brain. In: Bloom FE, Björklund A, Hökfelt T (eds). Handbook of Chemical Neuroanatomy, The Primate Nervous System, Part I. Elsevier: Amsterdam. pp 261–373.
- Lipski WJ, Grace AA (2008). Neurons in the ventral subiculum are activated by noxious stimuli and are modulated by noradrenergic afferents. Soc Neurosci Abstr 195: 1.
- Mugnaini E, Oertel WH (1985). An atlas of the distribution of GABAergic neurons and terminals in the rat CNS as revealed by GAD immunocytochemistry. In: Björklund A, Hökfelt T (eds). Handbook of Chemical Neuroanatomy. Vol 4: GABA and Neuropeptides in the CNS, Part I. Elsevier BV: Amsterdam. pp 436–608.
- Smith Y, Charara A, Parent A (1996). Synaptic innervation of midbrain dopaminergic neurons by glutamate-enriched terminals in the squirrel monkey. J Comp Neurol 364: 231–253. · DOI
- Zahm DS, Williams E, Wohltmann C (1996). Ventral striatopallidothalamic projection: IV. Relative involvements of neurochemically distinct subterritories in the ventral pallidum and adjacent parts of the rostroventral forebrain. J Comp Neurol 364: 340–362. · DOI
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 901–970 of 970
Nikolova, Y. S. (2014) · DukeSpace (Duke University)
Coward, L. A. (2013) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-7107-9_6
Shaham, Y., & Caprioli, D. (2014) · Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature · doi:10.3410/f.718185667.793490411
Shaham, Y., Theberge, F. R. M., & Calu, D. J. (2010) · Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature · doi:10.3410/f.6170956.6215054
Rowlett, J. K. (2012) · Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature · doi:10.3410/f.717948626.793456610
(2015) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-416040-8.16001-8
Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Addiction
Reissner, K. J., & Kalivas, P. W. (2017) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/med/9780190681425.003.0046
An arbiter model of motivational selectionPreprint
McNally, G. P. (2019) · PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/b7eux
(2016) · Royal Society of Chemistry eBooks · doi:10.1039/bk9781782621348-00303
Existential Priors: Top-Down Cognition in Rostral Prefrontal CortexPreprint
Schoeller, F. (2023) · PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/fye2m
(2024) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-15596-3.16001-1
The Neuroanatomy, Etiopathogenesis, and Novel Therapeutic Targets in Depressive Disorders
Arora, I., Khurana, K., & Kumar, M. (2024) · Current Psychopharmacologye · doi:10.2174/0122115560281804240102054639
Pathological cell assembly dynamics in a striatal MSN network model
Correa, A., Ponzi, A. P. D., Calderón, V., & Migliore, R. (2024) · Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fncom.2024.1410335
Hare, M. M., Niu, Y., Zeanah, C. H., & Humphreys, K. L. (2026) · Developmental Science · doi:10.1111/desc.70277
Family Members’ Reward-Based Activation in Response to an AUD Loved-One
Shumway, S. T., Bradshaw, S. D., Zielinski, M., Kimball, T. G., & Fisher, J. T. (2024) · Contemporary Family Therapy · doi:10.1007/s10591-024-09712-0
Wilson, C. A., Miller, B. W., Renton, R. M., Lominac, K. D., & Szumlinski, K. K. (2024) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.112465
Groenewegen, H. J. (2025) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108989855.004
Vistla: identifying influence paths with information theory
Kursa, M. B. (2025) · Bioinformatics · doi:10.1093/bioinformatics/btaf036
Discovering Brain-Based Mechanisms and Predictors of Clinical Outcomes of EAT for Patients with PTSD
Neria, Y., Zhu, X., Fisher, P. W., Prasad, N., & Hamilton, A. J. (2025) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-74426-6_8
Valenti, O., Rekawek, K. A., Wieser, S., Bulut, H., Scholze, P., & Boehm, S. (2025) · Frontiers in Pharmacology · doi:10.3389/fphar.2025.1534101
Dorjee, D. (2025) · PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/7vx45_v3
Dopamine modulation of synaptic transmission in drug addiction
Reva, M., & Lüscher, C. (2025) · Handbook of behavioral neuroscience · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-29867-7.00037-2
Silva, W. D. S. (2025) · STUDIES IN HEALTH SCIENCES · doi:10.54022/shsv6n4-006
Chang, J. E., López, W. O. C., Párraga, R. G., Monterrosa, J. T., Salazar, L. M., & Lovo, E. E. (2025) · Cureus · doi:10.7759/cureus.95307
Insights into Effort-Based Decision Making in Schizophrenia
Yan, C., & Shen, L. (2025) · Studies in neuroscience, psychology and behavioral economics · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-00880-0_16
Endocannabinoids regulation of the mesolimbic system
Melis, M., & Brandalise, F. (2025) · Handbook of behavioral neuroscience · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-13908-6.00011-6
Brain Structures and Functions
Masters, R., & Avison, M. J. (2025) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-57159-6_32-1
Activation of Glutamate Transporter 1 Attenuates Relapse to Alcohol-Seeking Behavior in Rats
Qrunfleh, A. M. (2012) · OhioLink ETD Center (Ohio Library and Information Network)
Representationalism can connect neuroscience and philosophy
Kok, A. (2026) · Frontiers in Cognition · doi:10.3389/fcogn.2025.1623712
Nükleus akkumbens’in anatomik sınırlarının ak madde temelli topografik değerlendirilmesi
Erbaş, M. A., Barut, O., Marangoz, A. H., Aras, M., Aydın, K., & Baydın, Ş. S. (2025) · Sinir Sistemi Cerrahisi Dergisi · doi:10.54306/sscd.2025.231
Research Progress on the Biological Mechanisms of Gender Differences in Depression
储, 琳. (2026) · International Journal of Psychiatry and Neurology · doi:10.12677/ijpn.2026.151001
Keevers, L. J., Hill, T. J., Ferguson, L. A., Baracz, S. J., Jean-Richard-dit-Bressel, P., Turner, K. M., & Clemens, K. J. (2026) · Neurobiology of Learning and Memory · doi:10.1016/j.nlm.2026.108143
Шагиахметов, Ф. Ш., Krupitsky, E. M., Shamakina, I. Y., Anokhin, P. K., Arkus, M. L., & Scheidegger, Y. M. (2026) · V M BEKHTEREV REVIEW OF PSYCHIATRY AND MEDICAL PSYCHOLOGY · doi:10.31363/2313-7053-2026-1-1179
Haile, C. N., Sangu, M., Das, J., & Kosten, T. A. (2026) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2026.113126
Nisanov, R., Patel, N., Persaud, K., Chowdhury, S., Safier, G., & Ranaldi, R. (2026) · European Journal of Pharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2026.178823
O'Connor, S. A., Narain, P., Mahajan, A., Bancroft, G. L., Haas, H. A., Wallen-Friedman, E., Vasisht, S., Takano, H., Kiffer, F. C., Eisch, A. J., et al. (2026) · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · doi:10.64898/2026.03.26.714605
Contribution des récepteurs 5-HT4 à la motivation et la prise de décision de manger
Jean, A. (2010) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/804a4a80z3585z415fzba64z9a7f076dd88d
Pratlong, M. (2014) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/02dafa47zd1cfz49e6z86a9zb57e2f9d693f
Modulation noradrénergique de l’attention
Guedj, C. (2016) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/d208400cz08cez4a3aza0e5z1816500f60a8
Campos, R. C. (2017) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/03a75158z9d38z4e81zb3aczea487daa9f14
Palatable food, clock genes and the reward circuitry
Blancas‐Velazquez, A. S. (2018) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/bad46fd4zc72az43cbz991dzc3345213a608
Carponcy, J. (2016) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/73b8e92fzcf31z47b3z9f72z5646ff84d048
Triglyceride-sensing in the mesocorticolimbic system and reward-driven behaviour control
Berland, C. (2018) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/3a1dc076z7d5az413czbc66z525614a40de5
Étude moléculaire et comportementale de la variabilité de réponse à la cocaïne
Martinez, L. A. A. (2021) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/c394f299z9930z4d9fzb9ecz074185fe9fee
Evolving principes of artificial neural design
Wilson, D. G. (2019) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/b678f35dz7ee5z441ez93f3ze801472a9a28
Castell, L. (2020) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/1b15015az415cz4441zb0bdz7ce3de06f632
Reelin in vulnerability and sex-dependent maturational trajectories of the prefrontal cortex
Silva-Hurtado, T. J. (2021) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/ecf0031ez1ac8z4688za735za4cd9acfc52c
Ultrastructural and molecular analysis of cortico-striatal dopamine hub synapses
Lapios, P. (2024) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/527646a6zd9b5z4935z80ebz0950bba9d08e
Oleson, E. B., & Cheer, J. F. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-12239-1_8
tVTA controls dual dopaminergic inputs to the external Globus PallidusPreprint
Lebouc, M., Fois, G. R., Bilella, A., Baufreton, J., Barrot, M., & Georges, F. E. (2026) · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · doi:10.64898/2026.04.20.719622
O'Connor, S. A., Narain, P., Mahajan, A., Bancroft, G. L., Haas, H. A., Wallen-Friedman, E., Vasisht, S., Takano, H., Kiffer, F. C., Eisch, A. J., et al. (2026) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-9476558/v1
Kokane, S. S., Atwell, S. I., Madayag, A., Anderson, E. M., Demis, S., Engelhardt, A., Friedrich, L., & Hearing, M. C. (2026) · Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fncel.2026.1833214
Flores, G. D., Damon, Z. F., Ford, M., Gancz, N. N., Savoca, P. W., Esfand, S. M., Chu, K. A., Querdasi, F. R., McCann, C. F., Westman, J. G., et al. (2026) · Brain Behavior & Immunity - Health · doi:10.1016/j.bbih.2026.101275
Dai, D., Wang, S., Wang, Y., Yu, J., Chen, Y., Shi, H., Lu, S., Wang, Y., Ma, R., & Fang, J. (2026) · Neuropharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2026.111068
Test-retest reliability of dopaminergic fPET and fMRI measures during reward processing
Schlosser, G., Handschuh, P. A., Murgaš, M., Graf, S., Milz, C., Klug, S., Falb, P., Schmidt, C., Eggerstorfer, B., Briem, E., et al. (2026) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.122047
Huang, S., Yang, S. M., Bellier, L., Cheng, D., Miller, O. H., Ren, N., Hopkins, S. C., Koblan, K. S., Bristow, L. J., Nassi, J. J., et al. (2026) · Molecular Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/s41380-026-03724-y
Romantic love as regulatory co-option of maternal-bonding circuitry: a testable genetic account
Felesina, T., & Bode, A. (2026) · Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1797790
Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors as Therapeutic Targets for Nicotine Addiction
Kazmi, A., & Choe, E. S. (2026) · Current Addiction Reports · doi:10.1007/s40429-026-00778-4
Neural Pathways to Happiness From a Cross-Cultural Neuroscience Perspective
Vinod, A., & Rudrapati, M. (2026) · IGI Global eBooks · doi:10.4018/979-8-3373-7401-7.ch009
Westbrook, S. R., Wang, Q., Jensen, A. L., Klappenbach, C. M., Touretsky, K., & Delevich, K. M. (2026) · Hormones and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2026.106000
Neural and endocrine correlates of extinction of conditioned sexual incentive salience in male rats
Ramírez-Rodríguez, R., León-Sequeda, I., Barradas‐Moctezuma, M., Salomón-Lara, L., Manzo, J., Herrera‐Covarrubias, D., & Coria‐Ávila, G. A. (2026) · Behavioural Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2026.116522
Mezzano, S., Saini, F., Orbecchi, V., Fernández‐Borkel, T., Raghavan, M., Irfanoglu, M. O., Beyh, A., & Dell’Acqua, F. (2026) · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · doi:10.64898/2026.10.05.756857
tVTA controls two distinct dopaminergic inputs to the external Globus PallidusPreprint
Lebouc, M., Fois, G. R., Bilella, A., Baufreton, J., Barrot, M., & Georges, F. E. (2026) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-11143061/v1
Metadata
- Authors
- Sesack, S. R., & Grace, A. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- Corresponding author
- Sesack, Susan R
- Grace, Anthony A
- Venue
- Neuropsychopharmacology
- Published
- 2009-08-12
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 27-47
- ISSN
- 0893-133X (ISSN-L)
- 1740-634X
- PMC
- PMC2879005
- OpenAlex
- W1971690948
- Cited by
- 985
- References
- 359
- Citations by year
- 2026: 33 · 2025: 40 · 2024: 48 · 2023: 37 · 2022: 46 · 2021: 59 · 2020: 51 · 2019: 57 · 2018: 58 · 2017: 69 · 2016: 87 · 2015: 78 · 2014: 85 · 2013: 86 · 2012: 76
- FWCI
- 4.32
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Neuropsychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Mental Health (R37MH057440)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA015408)
- 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
- reward systems, nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area, dopamine, ventral subiculum, basolateral amygdala, prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, microcircuitry, goal-directed behavior, phasic dopamine release, drug addiction, mental illness, afferent input
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Basal Ganglia, Cerebral Cortex, Humans, Models, Neurological, Neural Pathways, Nucleus Accumbens, Reward, Ventral Tegmental Area
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
