Nov 9, 2024
Hidden Brain Pathways Uncovered: How Dopamine Shapes Movement and Mood
Posted by Saúl Morales Rodriguéz in category: neuroscience
MIT researchers have uncovered two additional pathways in the brain’s striatum that modulate traditional movement control pathways by influencing dopamine production.
These pathways, connected to the brain’s striosomes, may play a crucial role in decisions with strong emotional components, potentially altering our understanding of how motivation and movement are interconnected.
In the human brain, movement is coordinated by a region called the striatum, which sends signals to motor neurons. These signals travel along two main pathways: one initiates movement (“go”), and the other inhibits it (“no-go”).