Dopamine and noradrenaline release in the prefrontal cortex in relation to unconditioned and conditioned stress and reward

Abstract

This chapter discusses evidence that unconditioned and conditioned, rewarding and stressful, stimuli may activate cerebral cortical dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA); the majority of the studies are carded out in rats or in mice, but studies using other species are also included. Adrenaline secretion was related to better behavioral performance, in that an inverted-U relation between behavioral efficiency and physiological arousal is suggested, which is not restricted to efficiency in acute stress situations, but involve cognitive functions in general. Finally, the chapter discusses the activation of cortical DA and NA during learning and the functional consequences of the increased DA and NA release in the prefrontal cortex. Data suggest that during learning of a new task and during execution of a task that requires attention and cue-directed initiation or inhibition of responses, cortical DA and NA are moderately activated. Moderate activation of DA is induced by novel and rewarding stimuli; moderate activation of DA may be involved in the enhancing effects of positive effect on flexible thinking.