title: Aversive stimuli and loss in the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system.
abstract: There is mounting evidence that the mesolimbic dopamine system carries valuation signals not only for appetitive or gain-related stimuli, with which it is traditionally associated, but also for aversive and loss-related stimuli. Cellular-level studies demonstrate that the neuronal architecture to support aversive stimuli encoding in this system does exist. Both cellular-level and human neuroimaging research suggest the co-existence of appetitive and aversive prediction-error signals within the mesocorticolimbic system. These findings shift the view of the mesocorticolimbic system as a singular pathway for reward to a system with multiple signals across a wide range of domains that drive value-based decision making.
authors.affiliation: Center for Neuropolicy, 36 Eagle Row, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Gregory S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Berns
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001070:Appetitive Behavior; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D003657:Decision Making; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008032:Limbic System / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D012201:Reward
chemical_list: D004298:Dopamine