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Review
. 2021 Sep 20:9:713762.
doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.713762. eCollection 2021.

The Aversion Function of the Limbic Dopaminergic Neurons and Their Roles in Functional Neurological Disorders

Zhengming He  1 , Yao Jiang  1 , Simeng Gu  2 , Dandan Wu  3 , Duo Qin  4 , Guangkui Feng  5 , Xianjun Ma  5 , Jason H Huang  6 , Fushun Wang  1   5
Affiliations
Free PMC article
Review

The Aversion Function of the Limbic Dopaminergic Neurons and Their Roles in Functional Neurological Disorders

Zhengming He et al. Front Cell Dev Biol. .
Free PMC article

Abstract

The Freudian theory of conversion suggested that the major symptoms of functional neurological disorders (FNDs) are due to internal conflicts at motivation, especially at the sex drive or libido. FND patients might behave properly at rewarding situations, but they do not know how to behave at aversive situations. Sex drive is the major source of dopamine (DA) release in the limbic area; however, the neural mechanism involved in FND is not clear. Dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons have been shown to play a key role in processing motivation-related information. Recently, DAergic neurons are found to be involved in reward-related prediction error, as well as the prediction of aversive information. Therefore, it is suggested that DA might change the rewarding reactions to aversive reactions at internal conflicts of FND. So DAergic neurons in the limbic areas might induce two major motivational functions: reward and aversion at internal conflicts. This article reviewed the recent advances on studies about DAergic neurons involved in aversive stimulus processing at internal conflicts and summarizes several neural pathways, including four limbic system brain regions, which are involved in the processing of aversion. Then the article discussed the vital function of these neural circuits in addictive behavior, depression treatment, and FNDs. In all, this review provided a prospect for future research on the aversion function of limbic system DA neurons and the therapy of FNDs.

Keywords: DA; aversion function; functional neurological disorders; limbic system; prediction error.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Neural circuits for DA projection. DA, dopamine; OFC, orbitofrontal cortex; mPFC, medial prefrontal cortex; NAc, nucleus accumbens; LHb, lateral habenula; VS, ventral striatum; CEA, central amygdala; VTA, ventral tegmental area; SN, substantia nigra pars compacta; RMTg, rostromedial tegmental nucleus; DRN, dorsal raphe nucleus; PAG, periaqueductal gray matter; LDT, laterodorsal tegmental nucleus.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Neural mechanism of LC–NE affecting DA in addictive behavior. LC, locus coeruleus; NE, norepinephrine; DA, dopamine.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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