The reward circuit: reinforcement and dopamine
Explains the biomedical model's core idea: addiction hijacks the brain's reinforcement system — dopamine from the VTA to the nucleus accumbens — and how different drugs raise that dopamine directly or indirectly.
Dónde encajaSe conecta con 3 · Desbloquea 1
- Se conecta con
- Dopamine: receptor families, clearance and pathways — The mesolimbic pathway is one of the three dopamine pathways.
- Where drugs act: the brain's regions — VTA, nucleus accumbens, hippocampus and amygdala all appear here.
- Indirect agonists: reuptake inhibitors, enzyme inhibitors and releasers — Cocaine and amphetamine raise dopamine by reuptake block and release.
- Desbloquea
- Why drugs keep reinforcing: prediction, tonic vs phasic, and speed — Why drugs keep reinforcing when natural rewards stop doing so.
Orientarse
The biomedical model of addiction (“brain-disease model of addiction”) treats it as pathological learning. Reinforcement learning: animal does an action, animal receives reward, action is reinforced. The reward circuit is the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, VTA to nucleus accumbens, whose purpose is to provide reinforcement upon fulfilling unmet biological need.
Términos del curso
Las palabras de tu profesor, tal cual aparecen en las diapositivas. Aprende el término y esta definición; la explicación de abajo solo ayuda a entenderla.
- Biomedical model of addiction
“Brain-disease model of addiction”Diapositivas 06, p. 2
Also framed as “pathological learning – behaviorism”.
- Reinforcement learning
“Animal does an action Animal receives reward Action is reinforced”Diapositivas 06, p. 3
After learning, reinforcement can terminate — to keep behavior flexible.
- Mesolimbic dopamine pathway
“VTA to nucleus accumbens”Diapositivas 06, p. 3
The reward circuit in the limbic system (Olds and Milner, 1954).
- Reward circuit
“Provide reinforcement upon fulfilling unmet biological need, encouraging behavior in the future”Diapositivas 06, p. 4
Its purpose.
- Reinforcers
“Food, sex, comfort/safety, belongingness”Diapositivas 06, p. 4
Can be more abstract: money, high fives, Instagram followers.
De tu curso: Course slides 06, pp. 6–11
Consejo: las teclas ← y → recorren la lección.
Lección completa: Dopamine families and pathways