Ventral tegmental area
Ventral Tegmental Area
The Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) (pronounced: ven-tral teg-men-tal area), is a group of neurons located close to the midline on the floor of the midbrain. The VTA is one of the principal components of the mesolimbic pathway, one of the major dopamine pathways in the brain.
Etymology
The term "ventral tegmental area" is derived from its location within the brain. "Ventral" refers to the front or abdominal side of the body, "tegmental" refers to a covering, and "area" refers to a particular region. Thus, the ventral tegmental area is a region on the front side of the brain that serves as a covering.
Function
The VTA plays a key role in reward circuitry of the brain, which is notably affected in addiction. It is important in cognition, motivation, drug addiction, intense emotions relating to love, and several psychiatric disorders.
Related Terms
- Dopamine: A type of neurotransmitter, a chemical messenger that transmits signals in the brain and other areas of the body.
- Mesolimbic Pathway: A dopaminergic pathway in the brain that connects the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens; it is one of the four major dopamine pathways in the brain.
- Nucleus Accumbens: A region in the brain that plays an important role in reward, pleasure, addiction, aggression, and fear.
- Reward Circuitry: A group of brain structures that are activated by rewarding or reinforcing stimuli.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Ventral tegmental area
- Wikipedia's article - Ventral tegmental area
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