Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 18, 2025

A Fully Automated and Highly Versatile System for Testing Multi-cognitive Functions and Recording Neuronal Activities in Rodents
Published on: May 3, 2012
Neuroplasticity and Multilevel System of Connections Determine the Integrative Role of Nucleus Accumbens in the Brain
Martyna Bayassi-Jakowicka1, Grazyna Lietzau1,2, Ewelina Czuba1
1Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, 1 Dębinki Str., 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland.
Abstract:
A growing body of evidence suggests that nucleus accumbens (NAc) plays a significant role not only in the physiological processes associated with reward and satisfaction but also in many diseases of the central nervous system. Summary of the current state of knowledge on the morphological and functional basis of such a diverse function of this structure may be a good starting point for further basic and clinical research. The NAc is a part of the brain reward system (BRS) characterized by multilevel organization, extensive connections, and several neurotransmitter systems. The unique role of NAc in the BRS is a result of: (1) hierarchical connections with the other brain areas, (2) a well-developed morphological and functional plasticity regulating short- and long-term synaptic potentiation and signalling pathways, (3) cooperation among several neurotransmitter systems, and (4) a supportive role of neuroglia involved in both physiological and pathological processes. Understanding the complex function of NAc is possible by combining the results of morphological studies with molecular, genetic, and behavioral data. In this review, we present the current views on the NAc function in physiological conditions, emphasizing the role of its connections, neuroplasticity processes, and neurotransmitter systems.
More Related Videos
08:14Comprehensive Analysis of Transcription Dynamics from Brain Samples Following Behavioral Experience
Published on: August 26, 2014
08:07Simultaneous Detection of c-Fos Activation from Mesolimbic and Mesocortical Dopamine Reward Sites Following Naive Sugar and Fat Ingestion in Rats
Published on: August 24, 2016
Related Concept Videos
Neuroplasticity
Diencephalon: Anatomical Regions
Neurochemical Transmission: Sites of Drug Action
Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System
Diencephalon: Hypothalamus and Coordination
The hypothalamus interacts with other brain regions, including the pituitary gland, through a direct physical connection called the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. The hypothalamus receives somatic and visceral inputs and...
Neural Circuits
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...