Dopamine and Memory

Abstract

A variety of memory systems are regulated by dopamine in the brain. Most of the forebrain's dopaminergic innervation arises from midbrain regions, specifically the ventral tegmental area and the substantia nigra, that comprise the mesocorticolimbic and nigrostriatal dopamine systems, respectively, and dopamine's role in memory appears to derive largely from its influences on the function of the respective structures receiving dopamine inputs. Dopamine projections to the ventral striatum appear to serve as a critical reward-prediction error signal that then modulates plasticity in the structure, altering future motivated behavior. Dopamine projections to the prefrontal cortex regulate cognitive abilities and working memory through modulation of neuronal activity during task performance. Finally, studies strongly suggest that dopamine inputs to a number of structures, including the amygdala and hippocampus, modulate the consolidation of memories across numerous types of learning. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.