Unraveling the Brain's Translation of Motivation into Goal Pursuit

Researchers have discovered how distinct neuronal populations within the brain's thalamus, specifically the paraventricular nucleus (PVT), regulate actions towards achieving a goal, such as foraging for food. The study shows that dopamine D2 receptor-positive (PVTD2(+)) neurons amplify motivation and pursuit behaviors, while their counterparts, PVTD2(–) neurons, are associated with action termination. This challenges previous notions of the PVT's uniformity and suggests its critical role in translating hunger into motivated action, potentially leading to new treatments for motivation-related psychiatric conditions.