Within the person’s nervous system there are hundreds of thousands of neurons that make up its networks and are responsible for transmitting both electrical impulses and certain substances from one side to the other.

The mesocortical pathway that network of neurons that is found throughout the brain and that exercises a primordial control over thought, emotions and feelings.

What is the mesocortical pathway?

It is known as mesocortical pathway to the route or bundle of neurons linking the ventral tegmental area and the cerebral cortex, especially at the level of the frontal lobe. The mesocortical pathway is one of the most important pathways of the dopaminergic system, having a very important role in cognition, as well as in emotions and affectivity.

Lesions or alterations in the mesocortical pathway are common in certain psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, in which it is hypothesized that it is the cause of the negative cognitive symptoms of the latter.

Within the dopaminergic system we also find other pathways whose main task is to transport dopamine from one place in the brain to another . The neurons that make up these pathways are formed somas that synthesize dopamine, while axons are responsible for transmitting it along the entire pathway.

These pathways that accompany the mesocortical pathway and form the dopaminergic system are

  • Mesolimbic pathway.
  • Mesocortical route.
  • Nigrostriatal route.
  • Tubero-infundibular route.

Parts and structures

As mentioned above, the mesocortical pathway involves mainly the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the cerebral cortex. In addition, this connection is made at the level of the frontal lobe .

1. Frontal lobe

The frontal lobe is an area of the cerebral cortex located in the anterior zone of the brain, being its main characteristic that this one is only completely developed in the most complex animals like the vertebrates, mainly the hominids.

The functions of the frontal lobe include linguistic and oral production, as well as phonoarticulatory movements. In addition, the frontal lobes have the very important task of coordinating executive functions. These functions are the ones that grant the ability to direct behavior, attention, planning , sequencing and reorientation of behavior.

2. Ventral tegmental area

This area also known as the ventral tegment is formed by a set of neurons located on the midline of the midbrain floor.

This area is the site of origin of the mesocortical dopamine pathway and has the function of regulating the brain’s natural reward system. Therefore, it plays a fundamental role in motivation, pleasure and orgasm, addictions, love feelings and in some psychiatric disorders.

3. Cerebral Cortex

The cerebral cortex, also known as the cerebrum, is formed by the network of neurons that form the tissue that covers the extension of both cerebral hemispheres.

Its functions are focused on governing perception, imagination, thought and reason .

Their involvement in brain functions

Like the other dopaminergic pathways, the mesocortical pathway plays a very important role in a number of brain functions that are essential for the person’s mental health.

These functions are cognition as an executive function on the one hand, and emotions and affectivity on the other.

Cognition

By cognition we mean the ability of people to deal with the information they receive from the environment through perception, as well as the interpretation and meaning they give to it.

Cognition is used in a large number of processes such as learning, reasoning, attention, memory or problem solving .

2. Emotions and affectivity

An emotion is a psycho-physiological response to a certain stimulus; be it a person, a place or situation, an event or the person’s own memories.

On a psychological level, emotions generate changes in attention and activate or inhibit certain behaviors. Likewise, also has the capacity to strengthen the important associations in the memory .

As far as affectivity is concerned, while emotions are associated with a series of bodily reactions, affectivity and feelings are related to the mind. Also, unlike emotion, affectivity involves a process of interaction between two or more people.

Involvement in Psychotic Disorders

Once the areas of action and functions of the mesocortical pathway are known, it is easier to understand why a decrease in the activity of the mesocortical pathway can give rise to numerous symptoms characteristic of psychotic disorders.

Specifically, in schizophrenia the hypofunction of the mesocortical pathway gives rise to the cognitive and negative symptoms of this disorder.

Negative symptomatology

The negative symptomatology characteristic of schizophrenia is that which manifests itself through an impoverishment of the personality and relationships and a deterioration of the state of mind .

Within this symptomatology we can find three different subtypes: the alterations in language, the alterations in mood and a third subgroup with other symptoms that do not fit in the previous ones.

Language disorders

Among these symptoms are laconic speech, poor language and short responses , lack of language content and empty responses, blockage, and increased response latency.

Mood disorders

It is mainly manifested by emotional blunting or flattening, facial inexpressivity or less spontaneous movements.

Likewise, patients with negative symptoms show great incongruence between the feelings expressed and the situation surrounding them . An example could be laughing at a funeral or crying with a joke.

Finally, other mood-related symptoms are inappropriate affection or ambivalence, a sense of emptiness and a feeling of deep distress .

Other symptoms

Among the remaining negative symptoms in which the mesocortical pathway is involved, we find abulia and apathy, anhedonia and insociability, social maladjustment

Cognitive symptoms

The cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia refer to problems with concentration and memory, which are reflected in a lack of attention , slow thinking and lack of awareness of the illness , or anosognosia.