PsychologyAugust 23, 2026

mesolimbic

MEZ-oh-LIM-bik

Definition

Relating to a specific set of neural pathways in the brain that connect the midbrain to the limbic system, primarily involved in processing reward, motivation, and pleasure.

Etymology

The word is a compound of the Greek prefix 'meso-' (meaning middle) and the Latin 'limbus' (meaning edge or border), referring to the system's anatomical location between the brain's central and outer structures.

In the news

The article uses the term to describe the brain's reward system, explaining that talking about oneself triggers the same pleasurable chemical responses in this pathway as receiving food or money.

Psychology says people who overshare with strangers — the barista, the Uber driver, the person beside them on the plane — aren't odd or inappropriately familiar, they're often starving for a conversation where someone actually listens

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