Ventral tegmental area (VTA) projections
VTA → Amygdala
VTA → Cingulate cortex
VTA → Hippocampus
VTA → Ventral striatum (Mesolimbic pathway)
VTA → Olfactory bulb
VTA → Prefrontal cortex (Mesocortical pathway)
Nigrostriatal pathway
Substantia nigra pars compacta → Dorsal striatum
Tuberoinfundibular pathway
Arcuate nucleus → Median eminence
Hypothalamospinal projection
Hypothalamus → Spinal cord
Incertohypothalamic pathway
Zona incerta → Hypothalamus
arousal (wakefulness)
aversion
cognitive control and working memory (co-regulated by norepinephrine)
emotion and mood
motivation (motivational salience)
motor function and control
positive reinforcement
reward (primary mediator)
sexual arousal, orgasm, and refractory period (via neuroendocrine regulation)
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