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- Basics
- Anatomy
The Basal Ganglia
Whenever we perform a deliberate movement, core areas deep within the brain are involved.
23.08.2011
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- Think
- Emotions
Addicted to Love
They say love is blind. Neurobiologists have discovered that this is true. What's more, it's also addictive.
20.12.2011
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Glossary
15.03.2017
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- Glossary
Nucleus accumbens
The nucleus accumbens is a nucleus in the basal ganglia that receives dopaminergic (dopamine-responsive) inputs from the ventral tegmental area. It is associated with reward and attention, but also with addiction. In pain processing, it is involved in motivational aspects of pain (reward, pain reduction) and in the effect of placebos.
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- Basics
- Anatomy
The Striatum
The striatum is not only about complex motor skills, but also about happiness.
28.11.2025
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- Think
- Emotions
Reason vs. Emotion?
Humans are not machines: emotions control their behavior more often than they realize.
11.09.2025
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- Basics
- Anatomy
The Septum
The core areas of the septum are located at the interface between the hypothalamus and hippocampus.
09.10.2025
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- News from the Institutes
Two Brain Areas Compete for Control
The locus coeruleus and the ventral tegmental area compete for control over the formation of memory content
14.03.2025
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- Glossary
Striatum
The striatum is a central structure of the basal ganglia. It consists of the caudate nucleus and putamen; the nucleus accumbens is also functionally part of it as its ventral portion. As the most important input structure of the basal ganglia, the striatum plays an essential role in controlling movement sequences as well as in cognition, motivational processes, and the reward system.
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- Glossary
Mesolimbic pathway
A system of neurons that use dopamine as a neurotransmitter and play a crucial role in emotion, reward, and substance abuse. The cell bodies are located in the subtegmental area and extend to the amygdala, the hippocampus, and – most importantly – the nucleus accumbens, where they have their terminal buttons.
