Neuroscience MCAT Practice Question
A researcher observes that lesions in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) impair decision-making involving reward evaluation. Electrophysiological recordings show reduced activity in dopaminergic neurons projecting from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the vmPFC during reward anticipation tasks. The dopamine hypothesis suggests this circuit is critical for integrating emotional and cognitive information. Which neurotransmitter system's dysfunction best explains the observed behavioral deficit?
Answer choices
- AGABAergic inhibitory signaling in the amygdala
- BMesolimbic dopamine pathway dysfunctionCorrect answer
- CSerotonergic transmission in the raphe nuclei
- DCholinergic signaling at the neuromuscular junction
- EGlutamatergic excitotoxicity in the hippocampus
- FNigrostriatal dopamine pathway dysfunction
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