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What Are The Nerves Involved Next To Ventral Tegmental Area In Brain?

Posted on Mon, 16 Feb 2015

Question: 1 - What are the nerves directly next to (touching, or going through) the ventral tegmental area in the brain?

2 - What are the nerves that supply that area but do physically contact it (if this is possible / different... might not be)?

3 - Are there any nerves not listed above that could interfere with the mesolimbic system (cause it to become partly cut off)?

Thanks!

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (46 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
This area Has groups of neurons.

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for asking directly.

Ventral tegmental area is composed of neuron groups, and their functions include involvement in emotions, motivation, cognition, brain reward system, etc.

Its function is involved also in psychiatric disorders and drug addiction.

About your questions:

1. There are no nerves, but rather tracts that pass near this area and these include vision pathway, motor tracts, hypothalamus etc.

2. Ventral tegmental area communicates with several brain structures including prefrontal cortex, amygdala, lymbic system, etc.

3. Ventral tegmental area sends neurons ( so has direct contact) to these areas including mesolymbic ( or nucleus acumbens) and disruption of these neurons results in psychiatric disorders, substance ( drug) addiction and maybe neurologic disorders ( due to motor neurons vicinity).

Hope this helps. If you have further questions feel free to ask.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (2 hours later)

Thanks for the quick reply!

Are there any nerves that pass close to the tegmental area? Or, any nerves that pass nearby the mesolimbic system pathway from the tegmental area through the prefrontal cortex?

Thanks,

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Oculomotor nerve pass close to tegmentum.

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for asking back.

Oculomotor nerve pass near or close to ventral tegmental area. This nerve controls ocular movements ( together with two other nerves) and pupillary response to accommodation.

There are no nerves that pass close to pathway from ventral tegmental area to prefrontal cortex, these structures are connected with dopamine neurons.

Hope this helps. Best regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (5 hours later)

Thats the nerve exactly! Thank you!

Lyme disease has attacked that nerve and my body has responded by shutting down part of the mesolimbic system. Also would explain the pain behind the eyes. My eyes and head basically "shrunk back" into my head - and my vision became close instead of distant (So, loss of ability to focus on distant object and then simulatenously be aware of everything around it). Loss of sex drive, ability to relate objects to each other, and DA activity in general.

Thanks,

XXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (15 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Yes, that's the explanation.

Detailed Answer:
Sorry to hear you suffered this rare neurological complication of Lyme disease.

That affected location explains your symptoms.

Hope you'll get better soon.
Best regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (13 minutes later)

Thanks! Last question:

-If the mesolimbic area with the DA neurons were "blocked off" or, even just simply "not in use" for some reason (hypothetically) for 6 months... would the neurons begin to degenerate? How quickly would neurondegeneration occur approximately?

-When the area were "opened up" and in use again, can the neurons be repaired or can new ones be regrown?

-Is there an unlimited number of new DA neurons that can be grown in the mesolimbic region or are we physiologically limited?

Thanks,

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (19 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Neurons can't regenerate.

Detailed Answer:
Hi again XXXXXXX

If the dopamine neurons of ventral tegmental area and mesolymbic system were destroyed by the pathological process, then there is no regeneration or regrowth.

If the neurons were not destroyed, but only were under pressure from e.g. edema, then after subsiding of offending cause neurons should start to function again.

Six months is a long period of time, definite neurodegeneration occurs within days.

Hope I helped you understand better you concerns. Wishing you good health.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (10 minutes later)

Thanks. (Just paid for next round of Q's).

Is it possible to grow new DA neurons in that area?

In general I understand that old neurons cannot regenerate... but it seems like the brain could cause rapid neurogeneration of new neurons?

Do neurons require a lot more brain tissue / physical space to use, or can we have a much more dense amount of DA neurons in a limited space that people actually utilize?

Any info is great. I'm trying to understand how to grow as many new DA neurons as possible within the mesolimbic region.

Thanks,

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (44 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Is not possible to regrowth neurons in brain.

Detailed Answer:
Hi again XXXXXXX

It is not possible to regrowth neurons in any area of brain and this is not a "space needed" issue, but a brain neuronal characteristic.

Brain doesn't cause regeneration of neurons, but in some cases ( mostly young age) there is " brain plasticity ", or use of "silent/ nonfunctional neurons " that haven't been used till that time.

Correct treatment of your condition includes treatment of Lyme disease and associated effects on brain ( mass effect for example), good oxygenation of brain and since there is a " Parkinson disease- like" condition ( related to dopamine neurons degeneration), maybe dopamine agonist drugs should help.

Unfortunately there is no way to grow neurons in mesolymbic system.

Hope this helps.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (8 minutes later)

Yes thanks. Sorry this is so specific - but do we know why we cant grow new neurons? What prevents this?

Also - from the age of 19-23... is that brain growth from new neurons or is it something else?

Thanks,

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Neurons are highly specialized.

Detailed Answer:
Ok, let's put it this way.

Neurons are highly specialized and travel a long way to the exact specific organ they supply and exhibit precise coordinated function.

Imagine the mess of neurons had the ability to duplicate in certain periods of time.

The only two areas in brain that seems there is a neuronal turnover are olfactory (smell) bulb and hippocampus ( memory).

Brain plasticity is more active in young and refers to partially damaged neurons tryin to make new connections.

Hope this helps.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (1 hour later)

Got it - thanks. So what is the brain growth that occurs normally from say ages 19-23? Is it increase in tissue? And the neurons then work their way into the new tissue?

Any other components that would be damaged besides tissue and neurons?

Thanks,

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (20 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Is not increase in tissue, is brain maturation.

Detailed Answer:
Hi again. Thanks for the interesting questions.

Brain maturation or definite creation of connections ( synapses) between neurons occurs till young adulthood ( early 20- ies), but for most basic brain functions areas it ends since childhood.

Damaged brain components include neurons, blood vessels and neurons supporting tissue or glial cells.

Hope I've been understandable.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (3 hours later)

yes thanks! Last question:

So when the brain "rewires" can it alter an existing neuron, for example a serotonin related neuron, and form new connection to change it to be used as more of a DA related neuron?

Thanks,

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (8 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Nature of neurons can't t be changed.

Detailed Answer:
Hi again XXXXXX!

During the "rewiring" process a neuron prolongs its dendrites in order to make new connections with not damaged neurons in the same population, but if a neuron is dopaminergic it stays dopaminergic, because the specific division of dopamine producing neuron and specific synapses.

Serotonin neurons can't function as dopamine neurons.

Thanks for asking me directly and for the interesting query.

All the best.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari