The aim of this study is to systematically investigate the PFC’s neuroarchitecture in goal-directed motivation. While the thalamus has been implicated in goal-directed behavior, based primarily on connectivity findings 26, direct evidence has not yet been provided to support that mPFC projection to the thalamus play a role in goal-directed motivation. Although accumulating evidence strongly supports the claim that the mPFC interacts with the VStr and VTA for goal-directed motivation, the mPFC’s projections to extra-basal ganglia regions may also play a role. Consistently, mPFC stimulation can activate the VTA-VStr dopaminergic (DA) neurons 17, 21, 22, 23, whose dysregulation has been implicated in mood and substance-use disorders 24, 25. The medial structures of the basal ganglia, including the ventral striatum (VStr) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA), which receive inputs from the medial PFC (mPFC), are thought to be important in the motivational aspect for goal-directed behavior (hereafter referred to as goal-directed motivation) 17, 18, 19, 20.
The PFC is thought to regulate these aspects of goal-directed behavior through interactions with the basal ganglia 16. Goal-directed behavior emerges when behavior is reinforced by stimuli/events and can be considered with respect to three key aspects: its motor function (i.e., coordination of movements), cognitive function (i.e., understanding of the external environment), and the motivation function (i.e., induced arousal that drives attention and action to a goal) 15. The effects of such treatments most likely depend on large-scale brain circuitry regulating the motivation that drives goal-directed behavior 14, and the details of such circuitry are currently incomplete. Recently, these disorders have been treated with PFC stimulation procedures such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), with promising results 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Consistently, dysregulation of the PFC is associated with disorders of goal-directed behavior, including drug addiction and depression 5, 6, 7, 8. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been implicated in executive control of goal-directed behavior 1, 2, 3, 4.
Nature Communications volume 13, Article number: 1386 ( 2022)
Medial prefrontal cortex and anteromedial thalamus interaction regulates goal-directed behavior and dopaminergic neuron activity
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