The Subthalamic Nucleus and Reward-Related Processes

Abstract

Considered for a long time a simple relay structure on the so-called indirect pathway of the motor loop within the basal ganglia, the subthalamic nucleus is now considered a critical node in the reward circuitry. This chapter discusses recent evidence for this role in both the animal and clinical literature. There is converging recent evidence to suggest that inactivating this structure could represent an interesting strategy for the treatment of certain forms of reward-related dysfunctions, including drug addiction.