Dopamine and ESB Reward

Abstract

In this chapter, we explore the role(s) that dopamine systems might play in ESB and other rewards, principally through the study of pharmacological evidence. Again, our discussion is concerned with the problem of behavior-physiology linkage. Although here the problem seems particularly subtle and complex. There are multiple components to be considered in the structure and function of dopamine systems. Difficult questions arise about the effects of dopamine on behavior, such as the separation of motor arousal and reward, or even the adequacy of these terms to describe dopamine’s actions. Additionally, research in this area spans a broad range of techniques and methods. It is problematic to know how to compare studies as different from each other as the attenuation of ESB self-stimulation by dopamine blockade, dopamine agonist self-administration, food reward extinction induced by dopamine blockade, open field locomotion, or akinesia and catalepsy induced by dopamine lesions. These techniques may reveal different facets of dopamine function, each of which may be fundamentally related or independent.