Question

A group of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral midbrain whose axons form the mesolimbic and mesocortical systems. Plays a critical role in reinforcement?

1) Serotonergic neurons
2) GABAergic neurons
3) Cholinergic neurons
4) Dopaminergic neurons

Answer 1

Dopaminergic neurons in the ventral midbrain form the mesolimbic and mesocortical systems and are critical in reinforcement.

Step-by-step explanation:

The group of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral midbrain, whose axons form the mesolimbic and mesocortical systems, and play a critical role in reinforcement, are known for their involvement in cognition, affective, and behavioral disorders, as well as their overlap with the brain reward and limbic systems. These neurons originate from the substantia nigra (SN) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA), with pathways described as mesostriatal, mesolimbic, and mesocortical. In specific, the answer to the student's question is dopaminergic neurons (4), as they are directly involved in the systems described.