L13 - Biological basis of rewards and addiction Flashcards
What is motivation and give an example of this?
The reason for acting in a certain way
The driving force for preforming a behaviour
E.g., Animals show motivation as behaviours like eating, drinking water and sexual activity are essential for survival
How does reward affect motivated behaviour?
People will work (motivated behaviour) in order to receive reward e.g., food
In humans it’s often indirect –> work to earn money, and use the money to buy food
This is similar to other animals
What is the neurochemistry of reward according to animal studies?
Dopamine is increased when they receive reward
This is also seen in naturally rewarding behaviours e.g., feeding, drinking and sex
How and where (in the brain) is dopamine directly measured?
Measured in the nucleus accumbens using a microdialysis
What are the 3 main pathways of the dopamine system?
Mesolimbic
Mesocortical
Nigrostriatal
Where does the Mesolimbic pathway travel to and from?
From ventral tegmental area (VTA) to nucleus accumbens
Where does the Mesocortical pathway travel to and from?
From ventral tegmental area (VTA) to cortex (mainly frontal)
Where does the Nigrostriatal pathway travel to and from?
From sibstantia nigra to dorsal striatum (caudate nucleus and putamen)
How is lever pressing for reward seen in animals?
Skinner’s rats (basically)
Animals will work (press lever) to receive natural rewards including food, water, sex
Once trained (over 5-10 days) they will reliably press the lever to receive the reward
