Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In this video, I explore the brain mechanisms underlying rewarding experiences and addiction. I discuss dopamine’s role in reward and addictive behavior, the major dopamine pathways (mesolimbic, mesocortical, and nigrostriatal), and a range of addiction-related brain changes, including hypofrontality, heightened sensitivity to drug cues, blunted dopamine signaling, tolerance, anhedonia, dependence, and withdrawal.
Key points:
00:00 Introduction
1:45 Dopamine pathways (mesolimbic & mesocortical)
3:49 What does dopamine do? (reward prediction error, incentive salience)
7:54 Nigrostriatal dopamine pathway
9:13 Addiction-related brain changes
🧠 Take your learning further with my free, self-paced Introduction to Neuroscience course featuring my videos, articles, and hundreds of quiz questions: neuroscientificallychallenged.com/course
If you're looking for accessible and entertaining ways to learn more about the brain, check out my books:
📚Your Brain, Explained: What Neuroscience Reveals About Your Brain and its Quirks: amazon.com/dp/1473696569
📚Bizarre: The Most Peculiar Cases of Human Behavior and What They Tell Us About How the Brain Works: amazon.com/dp/139980121X
Learn more on my website: neuroscientificallychallenged.com
REFERENCES
Berridge KC, Kringelbach ML. Pleasure systems in the brain. Neuron. 2015 May 6;86(3):646–664. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2015.02.018. PMID: 25950633
Berridge KC, Robinson TE. What is the role of dopamine in reward: hedonic impact, reward learning, or incentive salience? Brain Res Brain Res Rev. 1998 Sep;28(3):309–369. doi:10.1016/S0165-0173(98)00019-8. PMID: 9858756
Koob GF, Volkow ND. Neurobiology of addiction: a neurocircuitry analysis. Lancet Psychiatry. 2016 Aug;3(8):760–773. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(16)00104-8. PMID: 27475769
Schultz W, Dayan P, Montague PR. A neural substrate of prediction and reward.
Science. 1997 Mar 14;275(5306):1593–1599. doi:10.1126/science.275.5306.1593. PMID: 9054347
Volkow ND, Morales M. The brain on drugs: from reward to addiction. Cell. 2015 Aug 13;162(4):712–725. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2015.07.046. PMID: 26276628
📝 Pass your next test with my neuroscience videos!
I’m Marc, a university professor at Penn State, and I’m here to take you on a journey into the fascinating world of the brain. I created this channel to break down complex topics into easy-to-understand snippets—perfect for both students and curious minds alike. 📚
My goal is to make learning neuroscience fun and accessible. Whether you're a student looking to supplement your studies or simply eager to understand the basics of the brain, this channel is for you.
Hit subscribe and get to know your brain, one video at a time! 🧠
In this video, I explore the brain mechanisms underlying rewarding experiences and addiction. I discuss dopamine’s role in reward and addictive behavior, the major dopamine pathways (mesolimbic, mesocortical, and nigrostriatal), and a range of addiction-related brain changes, including hypofrontality, heightened sensitivity to drug cues, blunted dopamine signaling, tolerance, anhedonia, dependence, and withdrawal.
Key points:
00:00 Introduction
1:45 Dopamine pathways (mesolimbic & mesocortical)
3:49 What does dopamine do? (reward prediction error, incentive salience)
7:54 Nigrostriatal dopamine pathway
9:13 Addiction-related brain changes
🧠 Take your learning further with my free, self-paced Introduction to Neuroscience course featuring my videos, articles, and hundreds of quiz questions: neuroscientificallychallenged.com/course
If you're looking for accessible and entertaining ways to learn more about the brain, check out my books:
📚Your Brain, Explained: What Neuroscience Reveals About Your Brain and its Quirks: amazon.com/dp/1473696569
📚Bizarre: The Most Peculiar Cases of Human Behavior and What They Tell Us About How the Brain Works: amazon.com/dp/139980121X
Learn more on my website: neuroscientificallychallenged.com
REFERENCES
Berridge KC, Kringelbach ML. Pleasure systems in the brain. Neuron. 2015 May 6;86(3):646–664. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2015.02.018. PMID: 25950633
Berridge KC, Robinson TE. What is the role of dopamine in reward: hedonic impact, reward learning, or incentive salience? Brain Res Brain Res Rev. 1998 Sep;28(3):309–369. doi:10.1016/S0165-0173(98)00019-8. PMID: 9858756
Koob GF, Volkow ND. Neurobiology of addiction: a neurocircuitry analysis. Lancet Psychiatry. 2016 Aug;3(8):760–773. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(16)00104-8. PMID: 27475769
Schultz W, Dayan P, Montague PR. A neural substrate of prediction and reward.
Science. 1997 Mar 14;275(5306):1593–1599. doi:10.1126/science.275.5306.1593. PMID: 9054347
Volkow ND, Morales M. The brain on drugs: from reward to addiction. Cell. 2015 Aug 13;162(4):712–725. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2015.07.046. PMID: 26276628
📝 Pass your next test with my neuroscience videos!
I’m Marc, a university professor at Penn State, and I’m here to take you on a journey into the fascinating world of the brain. I created this channel to break down complex topics into easy-to-understand snippets—perfect for both students and curious minds alike. 📚
My goal is to make learning neuroscience fun and accessible. Whether you're a student looking to supplement your studies or simply eager to understand the basics of the brain, this channel is for you.
Hit subscribe and get to know your brain, one video at a time! 🧠
