Figure 10.
Schematic illustrating the complex connections between the striatum and SN. The arrows illustrate how the VS can influence the dorsal striatum through the midbrain dopamine cells. Colors indicate functional regions of the striatum based on cortical inputs. Midbrain projections from the shell target both the VTA and ventromedial SNc. Projections from the VTA to the shell form a ‘closed,' reciprocal loop, but also project more laterally to impact on dopamine cells that project to the rest of the VS, forming the first part of a feed forward loop (or spiral). The spiral continues through the striato-nigro-striatal projections through which the VS impacts cognitive and motor striatal areas through the midbrain dopamine cells; red=inputs from the vmPFC; orange=inputs from the OFC and dACC; yellow=inputs from the dPFC; green and blue=inputs from motor control areas.