One region that seems to be particularly important for motivational/reward processes is the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), which has been relatively under-researched in ADHD, despite strong theoretical interest in the involvement of motivational/reward processes in the disorder. Functional MRI studies have concluded that the main brain regions recruited while subjects experienced appropriate rewarding stimuli (e.g., money or positive feedback) include the ventral striatum – or NAcc (McClure et al., 2004b). In addition, functional MRI studies in ADHD have found decreased NAcc activation during reward anticipation (Plichta et al., 2009; Scheres et al., 2007).
