Reward Circuit

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lopKw7Yakw

The Reward Circuit is responsible for the pleasurable, relaxed feelings and desire for it.There are neural circuits in our brains that enable us to behave or avoid behavior. The concepts of  ‘drive’and ‘motive’ are important here.

• Drive: Appears unconsciously. Comes from birth and is genetically encoded. It directs individual behavior to protect homeostasis. For example; eating, sexuality, heat regulation..
• Motive: Including drive. Our emotions are our motives. Our conscious thoughts lead us to behavior. It can be innate or learned later.

SOME THEORIES

• Clark Hull – Drive Reduction Theory

All our motivation is to meet our ‘biological’ and ‘physical’ needs. Only drives.. 

    – Primer Drive

    – Secondary Drive

• Robert C.Bolles – Incentive Motivation Theory

Rewards also lead to behavior.

   – Incentives: Reinforcement in the outer circle.

   –Drive: ıt occurs in the inner loop.

• Robinson and Berridge – Incentive Salience Theory

External reinforcements (incentives) stimulate two different phases in our brain. 

   -Wanting: About how much we want the reinforcement. It caused by dopamin signaling in the mesocortical system.

   -Liking: The hedonistic effect that the enhancer does not get. Caused by the signaling of opioid peptides in Nucleus Akkumbens.

DOPAMINERGIC PATHWAYS IN THE BRAIN

• Short Way
• Long Way

                –Nigrostriatal System : Dopaminergic neurons located in the basal ganglia of the mesencephalon- connect to the dorsal striatum. Planning of major motor movements!

              –Mesolimbic and Mesocortical System:  Mesolimbic: Ventral striatum (Nucleus Accumbens, NAc). Mesocortical: Prefrontal cortex (PFC)
Dopaminergic neurons with ventral tegmental area (VTA) in the mesencephaly. the limbic system.

Reward System ;

• Locus Seruleus
• VTA
• Medial Forebrain
• NAc
• Lateral Hypothalemic Area (LHA)
• Prefrontal Cortex (PFC)

Lane 8…