Most substances that are considered addictive have the ability to stimulate our natural systems of reward, thereby producing a spike in <u>dopamine</u> in the <u>Mesolimbocortical pathway</u>.
It is well established that the mesolimbic pathway's dopamine plays a significant part in the pleasurable effects of both food and illicit drug usage. DA-containing neurons in the ventral tegmental region, which project to the nucleus accumbent, are stimulated by pleasant meals and addictive substances (NAc).
A dopaminergic pathway in the brain, the mesolimbic pathway is also referred to as the reward pathway. The pathway links the ventral striatum of the basal ganglia in the forebrain to the ventral tegmental region in the midbrain. The olfactory tubercle and nucleus accumbent are parts of the ventral striatum.
Learn more about dopamine in the <u>Mesolimbocortical pathway</u> here:
