Ventral striatum

The ventral striatum is the ventral part of the striatum, which is a major portion of the basal ganglia and functions as part of the reward system. It consists of the nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercle. In non-primate species, the islands of Calleja are included. It is associated with the limbic system and has been implicated as a vital part of the circuitry for decision making and reward behaviors, including addiction.

Location and Structure

The Ventral Striatum is a subcortical part of the forebrain, located within the striatum, anterior to the plane of the anterior commissure. The striatum itself is subdivided into sectors along a ventromedial-dorsolateral continuum largely based upon the external connectivity of different areas. The ventral striatum includes the nucleus accumbens and the olfactory tubercle. The nucleus accumbens is made up of the nucleus accumbens core and nucleus accumbens shell, which differ by neuron populations.The olfactory tubercle receives input from the olfactory bulb but has not been shown to play a role in processing smell. In non-primate species it contains the islands of Calleja.