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Dopaminergic Pathways

Mesocortical Pathway
  • Projections from ventral tegmental area to prefrontal cortex.
  • Responsible for behavioral/executive function.
  • Dopamine hypothesis of Schizophrenia:
    • Hypodopaminergic activity in D1 receptors in this pathway produces negative symptoms in schizophrenia (eg, apathy).
Mesolimbic Pathway
  • Projections from ventral tegmental area to forebrain (esp. nucleus accumbens in the basal forebrain).
  • Responsible for emotional function.
  • Dopamine hypothesis of Schizophrenia:
    • Hyperdopaminergic activity in D2 receptors in this pathway produces positive symptoms in schizophrenia (eg, hallucinations).
Nigrostriatal Pathway
  • Projections from the substantia nigra to striatum (caudate and putamen).
  • Responsible for movement.
  • Decreased activity from psychotropic agents produce movement abnormalities: extrapyramidal side effects (hypokinetic and hyperkinetic movement disorders).
Tuberoinfundibular pathway
  • Projections from the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland.
    • The origins of the pathway are classically assigned to the periventricular and arcuate (infundibular) nuclei.
    • The termination within the pituitary gland is in the median eminence.
  • Responsible for prolactin release: prolactin is under tonic inhibition by dopamine.
  • Decreased dopamine activity from psychotropic agents reduces prolactin inhibition (disinhibits prolactin release) and results in hyperprolactinemia: gynecomastia, galactorrhea, amenorrhea, infertility, etc...