INTERPLAY OF THE DOPAMINERGIC SYSTEM AND LEARNING-MEMORY MECHANISMS: INSIGHTS INTO MOTIVATION, REWARD AND COGNITIVE CONTROL.

This review thesis explores the intricate relationship between the dopaminergic system and learning-memory mechanisms, shedding light on their collective impact on motivation, reward processing, and cognitive control. In Chapter 1, we delve into the anatomy of the dopaminergic system, emphasizing dopamine receptors, synapses, pathways, and the diverse molecular phenotypes of midbrain dopamine neurons. Exploring individual differences in dopamine's effects on cost/benefit learning, we investigate the role of striatal dopamine in incentive motivation for cognitive control and its implications in Parkinson's disease. Chapter 2 concentrates on learning and memory, elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in these processes. Key neurotransmitters such as glutamate, GABA, serotonin, adrenaline, acetylcholine, and histamine are examined in the context of memory formation. We explore working memory, reinforcement learning, and the bidirectional role of dopamine in learning, memory consolidation, and active forgetting. In Chapter 3, we specifically focus on the dopaminergic control of memory-driven by motivational stimuli. Unravelling the theory and role of dopamine in motivating reward-seeking actions, we examine phasic dopamine reward signals and their influence on downstream structures. The functional role of motivational value and salience signals is discussed, including dopamine neuron excitation in response to alerting sensory cues. Further insights into the neurobiology of social motivation and behavioral responses and advancements in understanding dopamine's encoding of reward prediction error are presented. This thesis contributes to a comprehensive understanding of how the dopaminergic system intertwines with learning-memory mechanisms, offering valuable insights into the intricate web of motivation, reward processing, and cognitive control. Exploring multiple dopamine hypotheses and their implications enriches our comprehension of the complexities inherent in these neural processes.

the relationship between dopamine and memory