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Nucleus accumbens not labeled, but labels are provided for Caudate , Putamen , and Septum Pellucidum
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Medial surface (Nucleus accumbens is VERY ROUGHLY in the area of the 34)
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Nucleus+Accumbens
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The (also known as the '''accumbens nucleus''' or '''nucleus accumbens septi'''
for ''nucleus leaning against the septum'' ) is a collection of
Neurons located where the head of the
Caudate and the anterior portion of the
Putamen meet just lateral to the
Septum Pellucidum . The , the ventral
Olfactory Tubercle , and ventral caudate and putamen collectively form the
Ventral Striatum . This nucleus is thought to play an important role in reward,
Pleasure , and
Addiction . It is part of the ventral continuation of the
Dorsal Striatum , and shares general principles of connectivity with the striatum. The nucleus accumbens is also called '''ventral striatum'''.
The principal neuronal cell type found in the nucleus accumbens is the
Medium Spiny Neuron . The
Neurotransmitter produced by these neurons is ,
GABA , the main inhibitory neurotransmitter of the central nervous system. These neurons are also the main projection or output neurons of the nucleus accumbens.
While 95% of the neurons in the nucleus accumbens are medium spiny GABAergic projection neurons, other neuronal types are also found such as large aspiny
Cholinergic Interneurons .
The output neurons of the nucleus accumbens send axon projections to the ventral analog of the
Globus Pallidus , known as the ventral pallidum (VP). The VP, in turn, projects to the mediodorsal (MD) nucleus of the
Thalamus , which projects to the
Prefrontal Cortex . Major inputs to the nucleus accumbens include the prefrontal cortex,
Amygdala ,
Hippocampus , and dopaminergic neurons located in the
Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA), which connect via the
Mesolimbic Pathway . Thus the nucleus accumbens is often described as one part of a cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical loop.
Dopaminergic input from the VTA is thought to modulate the activity of neurons within the nucleus accumbens. These terminals are also the site of action of highly-addictive
Drugs such as
Cocaine and
Amphetamine , which cause a several-fold increase in
Dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens. In addition to cocaine and amphetamine, almost every drug abused by humans has been shown to increase dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens.
Although the nucleus accumbens has traditionally been studied for its role in addiction, it is plays an equal role in processing natural rewards such as food, sex, and video games.
