The<unk> , sometimes referred to as the reward pathway, is a dopaminergic pathway in the brain. The pathway connects the ventral tegmental area in the midbrain to the ventral striatum of the basal ganglia in the forebrain. The ventral striatum includes the nucleus accumbens and the olfactory tubercle. Figure 3: The ventral striatum and self-administration of amphetamine The release of dopamine from the<unk>  into the nucleus accumbens regulates incentive salience (e.g. motivation and desire for rewarding stimuli) and facilitates reinforcement and reward-related motor function learning; it may also play a role in the subjective perception of pleasure. The dysregulation of the<unk>  and its output neurons in the nucleus accumbens plays a significant role in the development and maintenance of an addiction.
Mesolimbic pathway
Tuberoinfundibular pathway
Amygdalofugal pathway
Mesocortical pathway
Hypothalamotegmental tract
Limbic system
Endocannabinoid system
Ciliospinal center