Drug consumption is driven by a drug's pharmacological effects, which are experienced as
rewarding, and is influenced by genetic, developmental, and psychosocial factors that …

Aversive events rapidly and potently excite certain dopamine neurons in the ventral
tegmental area (VTA), promoting phasic increases in the medial prefrontal cortex and …

Social behaviors, such as mating, fighting, and parenting, are fundamental for survival of any
vertebrate species. All members of a species express social behaviors in a stereotypical and …

The Drd2 gene, encoding the dopamine D 2 receptor (D2R), was recently indicated as a
potential target in the etiology of lowered sociability (ie, social withdrawal), a symptom of …

Social neuroscience, the study of the neurobiological basis of social behavior, has become
a major area of current research in behavioral neuroscience and psychiatry, since many …

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is widely accepted as being critical for neural and
synaptic plasticity throughout the nervous system. Recent work has shown that BDNF in the …

The comorbidity of depression and addiction has become a serious public health issue, and
the relationship between these two disorders and their potential mechanisms has attracted …

Social stress, including bullying during adolescence, is a risk factor for common
psychopathologies such as depression. To investigate the neural mechanisms associated …

The neuropeptide, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), is a key modulator of physiological,
endocrine, and behavioral responses during stress. Dysfunction of the CRF system has …

Background Increased physical activity is a common feature of anorexia nervosa (AN).
Although high activity levels are associated with greater risk of developing AN, particularly …