accumbens
/əˈkʌmbɛnz/
Definition
Short for nucleus accumbens, a region in the basal forebrain of the brain that plays a central role in reward, motivation, and reinforcement learning.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin word 'accumbere,' meaning 'to recline' or 'to lie down at' (as at a dining table). In anatomical terminology, it was adopted to describe the brain structure that physically 'leans' against the septum pellucidum.
In the news
In the article, the functional connectivity between the nucleus accumbens and the anterior cingulate cortex is identified as a key neural biomarker for predicting a patient's potential response to the antidepressant bupropion.
A precision medicine trial of bupropion and sertraline for major depressive disorder using a biomarker-guided sequential multiple-assignment design
Read the full article ↗Nature