reward circuitry

Published research on reward circuitry.

BrainJun 27, 2026

Nucleus Accumbens-to-Ventral Pallidum Pathway Regulates Social Play in Rats

A 2026 juvenile rat study found that inactivating the ventral pallidum or stimulating nucleus accumbens GABA terminals in the ventral pallidum reduced social play behavior in both sexes, poi…

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AddictionJun 13, 2026

GLP-1 Drugs Suppress Reward Feeding Through an Amygdala-Dopamine Circuit

GLP-1 drugs are usually described as appetite drugs, but a 2026 Nature mouse study mapped a more specific reward circuit: small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonists suppressed palatable-food int…

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