Nucleus Accumbens

links: Neuroanatomy reference: 4-30-2021

Region in the Basal Forebrain; part of the ventral Striatum.

Dopaminergic neurons from the Ventral Tegmental Area project onto Medium Spiny Neurons here.
Outputs to the other areas of the Basal Ganglia like the substantia nigra, to the tail of the Ventral Tegmental Area, and reticular formation. Also has glutamatergic inputs from limbic cortices, ventral hippocampus, thalamus, and other stuff
Stress-induced anhedonia is associated with hypertrophy of medium spiny neurons of the nucleus accumbens
- Thus naturally an increase in BDNF, NCAM, synapsin 1.
- Antidepressant treatment with either fluoxetine or imipramine reversed these stress-induced morphological and neurochemical alterations while restoring hedonic behavior.
- Stress also hypertrophies the amygdala, dorsolateral Striatum, OFC.

yana-notes