Positive affect systematically influences performance on many cognitive tasks. A new neuropsychological theory is proposed that accounts for many of these effects by assuming that positive affect is associated with increased brain dopamine levels. The theory predicts or accounts for influences of positive affect on olfaction, the consolidation of long-term (i.e., episodic) memories, working memory, and creative problem solving. For example, the theory assumes that creative problem solving is improved, in part, because increased dopamine release in the anterior cingulate improves cognitive flexibility and facilitates the selection of cognitive perspective.

/pdf/a-neuropsychological-theory-of-positive-affect-and-its-1m5h32sghh.pdf

A neuropsychological theory of positive affect and its influence on cognition.

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/biology/pollack/w4065/client_edit/11-30-01%20pdfs/w4065/cell98_427.pdf

Mice with Reduced NMDA Receptor Expression Display Behaviors Related to Schizophrenia

Psychobiology of novelty seeking and drug seeking behavior

Cognitive functions of cortical acetylcholine: toward a unifying hypothesis

Ventral tegmental area (VTA) neuron firing precedes behaviors elicited by reward-predictive sensory cues and scales with the magnitude and unpredictability of received rewards. These patterns are consistent with roles in the performance of learned appetitive behaviors and in positive reinforcement, respectively. The VTA includes subpopulations of neurons with different afferent connections, neurotransmitter content, and projection targets. Because the VTA and substantia nigra pars compacta are the sole sources of striatal and limbic forebrain dopamine, measurements of dopamine release and manipulations of dopamine function have provided critical evidence supporting a VTA contribution to these functions. However, the VTA also sends GABAergic and glutamatergic projections to the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. Furthermore, VTA-mediated but dopamine-independent positive reinforcement has been demonstrated. Consequently, identifying the neurotransmitter content and projection target of VTA neurons recorded in vivo will be critical for determining their contribution to learned appetitive behaviors.

/pdf/ventral-tegmental-area-neurons-in-learned-appetitive-bnwrkhn0dw.pdf

Ventral Tegmental Area Neurons in Learned Appetitive Behavior and Positive Reinforcement

NMDA receptors and in vivo dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and caudatus.

Cortical and limbic dopamine and acetylcholine release as neurochemical correlates of emotional arousal in both aversive and non-aversive environmental changes

Simona Bacchi

Papers

NMDA receptors and in vivo dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and caudatus.

Cortical and limbic dopamine and acetylcholine release as neurochemical correlates of emotional arousal in both aversive and non-aversive environmental changes