The nucleus accumbens lies where the head of the caudate nucleus and the putamen meet below the anterior limb of the internal capsule, beside the septum. It is the main part of the ventral striatum. It receives dopamine from the ventral tegmental area and links motivation with action.
| Location | Ventral junction of the caudate head and putamen, below the anterior limb of the internal capsule and lateral to the septum |
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| Blood Supply | Recurrent artery of Heubner; Lenticulostriate arteries |
Turns motivation into action by processing reward, pleasure and reinforcement learning.
The nucleus accumbens is central to reward and is a key site for the effects of addictive drugs, which raise dopamine release here. It is studied as a deep brain stimulation target for treatment-resistant depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and addiction. Altered function is linked to anhedonia, a loss of pleasure.
Addictive drugs increase dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, reinforcing drug-seeking behaviour.
Loss of interest or pleasure, linked to reduced reward processing in the ventral striatum.
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