Cited by 137Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research

Mesocorticolimbic Dopamine Pathways Across Adolescence: Diversity in Development

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Reynolds, Lauren M., Flores, Cecilia·2021·Frontiers in Neural Circuits

Abstract

Mesocorticolimbic dopamine circuity undergoes a protracted maturation during adolescent life. Stable adult levels of behavioral functioning in reward, motivational, and cognitive domains are established as these pathways are refined, however, their extended developmental window also leaves them vulnerable to perturbation by environmental factors. In this review, we highlight recent advances in understanding the mechanisms underlying dopamine pathway development in the adolescent brain, and how the environment influences these processes to establish or disrupt neurocircuit diversity. We further integrate these recent studies into the larger historical framework of anatomical and neurochemical changes occurring during adolescence in the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system. While dopamine neuron heterogeneity is increasingly appreciated at molecular, physiological, and anatomical levels, we suggest that a developmental facet may play a key role in establishing vulnerability or resilience to environmental stimuli and experience in distinct dopamine circuits, shifting the balance between healthy brain development and susceptibility to psychiatric disease.

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Authors
Reynolds, L. M., & Flores, C.
Affiliations
  • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
  • Douglas Mental Health University Institute (CA)
Corresponding author
  • Reynolds, Lauren M.
  • Flores, Cecilia
Venue
Frontiers in Neural Circuits
Published
2021-09-08
Volume
15
Pages
735625-735625
ISSN
1662-5110 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3198497866
Cited by
137
References
259
Citations by year
2026: 29 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 1
FWCI
3.13
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Frontiers in Neural Circuits (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research
  • Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale
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
mesocorticolimbic dopamine system, adolescent brain development, environmental influences on brain development, reward processing, motivation, cognitive function, psychiatric vulnerability, resilience
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Brain, Dopamine, Humans, Reward, Dopaminergic Neurons

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