Reward dysfunction

Johnson, P.M. Kenny, P.J. Dopamine D2 receptors in addiction-like reward dysfunction and compulsive eating in obese rats. Nat. Neurosci. 2010, 13 635-641. 

Jentsch, J.D., Taylor, J.R. Impulsivity resulting from frontostriatal dysfunction in drug abuse implications for the control of behavior by reward-related stimuli. Psychopharmacology (Berlin). 146 373, 1999. 

Dysfunction of reward and punishment systems can distort motivation in a number of ways. A few examples are briefly outlined here to illustrate how this hnely tuned survival mechanism can be perverted by false rewards and pathological punishments. 

The fact that some DA neurons encode expectancy of reward is especially provocative, as it implies that dysfunctions within these circuits may give rise to erroneous computations of reward expectancy, which may in turn relate to the aberrant drug cravings observed so commonly in drug addiction. Satisfying such aberrant neural expectancies, then, may be a necessary component of any successful pharmacotherapy for addiction. 

Acb DA reward loci (Gardner et al. 1988 Gardner and Lowinson 1991 Chen et al. 1991 Lepore et al. 1996). These findings suggest that a basal dysfunction in DA regulation within the DA forebrain reward system may constitute a genetic vulnerability to the phenotypic polydrug preferences shown by Lewis rats (Lepore et al. 19%). 

Gaffan David. 1992. "Amygdala and the Memory of Reward." In The Amygdala Neurobiological Aspects of Emotion, Memory, and Mental Dysfunction, edited by John P. Aggleton. New York Wiley. 

The animals had a reduced ability to experience pleasure and reward, particularly when it was measured by sensitivity to cocaine. In addition, they found that the animals exposed to Ritalin during pre-adolescence were more prone to express despair-like behaviors in stressful situations (such as swim tests) as adults. Overall, the animals showed more evidence of dysfunctional brain reward systems and depressive-like behaviors in adulthood. 

In 2005, Mague et al. published more on their research, again finding that methylphenidate caused changes in the young rat s brain that persist into adulthood. They concluded, Reduced sensitivity to these various types of reward may reflect general dysfunctions of brain reward systems. None of this is good news for children and adolescents who have been treated with Ritalin products. 

Now, not all corporate cultures good and strong . Some are V dysfunctional. They have characteristics that have a negative impact on their employees, and which don t fit the demands of their market. For example, what if a company is characteristically cautious and slow to make a decision, and does not reward innova-... 

---