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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2018 Mar 21.
Published in final edited form as: Subst Use Misuse. 2016 Dec 29;52(4):535–547. doi: 10.1080/10826084.2016.1244551

Figure 1. Brain Reward Cascade showing the inclusion of Dorsal Raphe Nuclei (GlutM3) interaction regulating VTA dopamine.

Figure 1

Figure 1 is an illustration of the Brain Reward Cascade, which involves the release of serotonin at the hypothalamus, which stimulates enkephalin. The enkephalin then inhibits GABA at the substantia nigra, which in turn, regulates the amount of dopamine released at the nucleus accumbens (or “reward site”). The dopamine originates in the VTA. Various receptors (including 5HT2a receptors, µ-opiate receptors, GABAA receptors, GABAB receptors, and dopamine receptors) are utilized in the reward cascade. Recent evidence demonstrates the role of the dorsal raphe nuclei in this cascade [Morales & Root 2014]. It is accepted that, under normal conditions, dopamine in the nucleus accumbens through a number of cascading events and neurotransmitter interaction works to maintain a person’s normal drives [Blum et al. 2015] (with permission).