Cannabinoid Modulation of Dopamine Release During Motivation, Periodic Reinforcement, Exploratory Behavior, Habit Formation, and Attention

Erik B | Lindsey R | Devan M

Cannabinoids and Motivated Action Under a Variety of Reinforcement Contingencies Response Reinforcement and Schedule-Controlled Behavior While many different behavioral approaches exist to study the effects of cannabinoids on behavior, this review will primarily focus on response reinforcement and operant behavior. FIGURE 3 ECB Signaling Modulates DA Value Signals and Reinforcement Under a Fixed Ratio Schedule Given the well-established role DA value signals play in reinforcement and motivating action (Schultz et al., 2015), we next began to question whether the brain’s endogenous cannabinoid system capably modulates transient DA release events during goal-directed behavior. Common Methods to Investigate the Components of Attention While there are many components of attentional control, this review will focus on sustained attention, response control (impulsivity), attentional set-shifting and reversal learning as indices of attentional control as well as their respective deficits. DA and eCB Signaling Effects on ASST Performance The effects of both mesocorticolimbic DA and eCB signaling on ASST performance diverge by the task’s separate components, with DA impacting both shifting attentional set and reversal learning and cannabinergic effects restricted to reversal learning. It is also important to note that while distinct measures of motivation and attention have been studied under conditions of cannabinoid exposure, there remains much to be learned about how these measures overlap within the context of DA/eCB interactions.

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