Mesocorticolimbic dopamine circuity undergoes a protracted maturation during adolescent
life. Stable adult levels of behavioral functioning in reward, motivational, and cognitive …

Neurotransmitters and neuromodulators, such as dopamine, participate in a wide range of
behavioral and cognitive functions in the adult brain, including movement, cognition, and …

The past two decades have seen an explosion in our understanding of the origin and
development of the midbrain dopamine system. Much of this work has been focused on the …

Human adolescence has been characterized by increases in risk-taking, emotional lability,
and deficient patterns of behavioral regulation. These behaviors have often been attributed …

Sensitive developmental periods shape neural circuits and enable adaptation. However,
they also engender vulnerability to factors that can perturb developmental trajectories. An …

Adolescence is characterized by increased risk-taking, novelty-seeking, and locomotor
activity, all of which suggest a heightened appetitive drive. The neurotransmitter dopamine is …

Rationale Adolescence is a developmental period of complex neurobiological change and
heightened vulnerability to psychiatric illness. As a result, understanding factors such as sex …

Background Dopaminergic input to the prefrontal cortex (PFC) increases throughout
adolescence and, by establishing precisely localized synapses, calibrates cognitive …

Dopamine (DA), a critical neurotransmitter of both the central and peripheral nerve system,
plays important roles in a series of biological processes. Dysfunction of dopaminergic …

The complex integration of neurotransmitter signals in the nervous system contributes to the
shaping of behavioral and emotional constitutions throughout development. Imbalance …