Choose Your Path: Divergent Basolateral Amygdala Efferents Differentially Mediate Incentive Motivation, Flexibility and Decision-making

Overview

Journal Behav Brain Res

Specialties Neurology
Psychology
Social Sciences

Date 2021 Apr 22

PMID 33887310

Citations 8

Authors

Sara E Keefer

Utsav Gyawali

Donna J Calu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

To survive in a complex environment, individuals form associations between environmental stimuli and rewards to organize and optimize reward seeking behaviors. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) uses these learned associations to inform decision-making processes. In this review, we describe functional projections between BLA and its cortical and striatal targets that promote learning and motivational processes central to decision-making. Specifically, we compare and contrast divergent projections from the BLA to the orbitofrontal (OFC) and to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and examine the roles of these pathways in associative learning, value-guided decision-making, choice behaviors, as well as cue and context-driven drug seeking. Finally, we consider how these projections are involved in disorders of motivation, with a focus on Substance Use Disorder.

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