NATS 1565 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Nucleus Accumbens, Tegmentum, Reuptake
15 Jan 2020
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Neuron - is a cell that carries electrical impulses. If the next (post synaptic) neuron has the right receptors in its membrane, the neurotransmitter molecules will connect with the receptors, causing a change in the next neuron. Receptors are molecules that sit in the membrane and are made of protein. Receptors need to have the correct shape to pick up a specific neurotransmitter (ex. Reuptake protein - after the chemical signal has been sent, reuptake proteins in the presynaptic axon help end the signal by removing the neurotransmitter from the synaptic cleft. Dopamine is one of about 100 neurotransmitters produced by the brain and is the primary neurotransmitter of the reward circuit. This pathway begins near the base of the brain at the ventral tegmental area (vta) and extends to a region near the front of the brain called the nucleus accumbens (na).
