The Corticostriatal Circuit: Anatomy Flashcards
what are the functions of the corticostriatal circuit
motivation and action
what are the inputs (afferent pathways) to the ventral striatum?
- prefrontal cortex (goal-directed planning)
- the basolateral complex of the amygdala (sensory cues)
- hippocampal formation (contextual memory)
- midbrain (dopamine - “key”)
what are the outputs (efferent pathways) of the ventral striatum?
- dorsal striatum/ pallidum
- ventral pallidum
- hypothalamus (life-sustaining functions)
- midbrain
(connects to other outputs, see notes)
what are the uses of the thalamus separate from the corticolimbic circuit?
relay between prefrontal and striatum (monitoring and execution of actions)
the different parts of the NAcc
- core: goal-directed motor output
- shell: learning and associations
ventral striatum
a gate that can open (depends on the release of dopamine)
- when it opens the inputs impact the outputs
intrinsic and extrinsic motivation converge on the US
(input) hippocampal formation
- input absent in inappropriate context
- context of which a motivation was satisfied by a specific action (ex. hunger satisfied with a hamburger at your hometown Arby’s)
(input) basolateral complex of amygdala
- sensory cues arrive via the BLA
- also projects to the VS which leads to multimodal senses
- the BLA (sensory info) –> CeA –> changes to help recognize threat
dopamine release
(from midbrain)
- dopamine release from VTA to VS is necessary to open the gate
- the substantial and ventral tegmental area of midbrain provide dopamine release to VS
dopamine release over time
over time it releases to cues predicting rewards (but no dopamine release if not a rewarding experience)
STUDY: optogenics study of DA
lights in BLA drives DAcc (stimulates with light which drives behavior of mice) which leads to an increase in consumption of sugar water, but depends on dopamine key
prefrontal cortex (input)
- drives goal-oriented behavior we hope will lead to a reward
1. vmPFC leads to an awareness of all the integrated information
2. vmPFC allows goal-directed plan to integrate with everything else (yes goal but good time?)
3. dacc monitories conflict between goal and actions and error)
4. dacc relayed to dlPFC for control and correction of actions to achieve goals
STUDY: dlPFC
dlPFC is most densely connected to caudate striatum
- VS is almost exclusively connected with the vmPFC
hypothalamus (output)
(life-sustaining functions)
- drinking eating, etc. things essential for life
preoptic area in hypothalamus
sexual dimorphism (different in men than in women, reproductive behavior)
