Dopamine neurones of the ventral tegmentum project to both medial and lateral habenula. Some implications for habenular function.

Using the techniques of microdissection and microradiochemical assay for catecholamines, it has been shown that a specific subgroup of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurones project to the medial sector of lateral habenula. In addition a new dopamine pathway, arising from midline VTA neurons, has been shown to project to the medial sector of medial habenular. These findings are discussed and some implications for habenular functions are stated.