The largest and most important sources of dopamine in the vertebrate brain are the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area. Both structures are components of the midbrain, closely related to each other and functionally similar in many respects. The largest component of the basal ganglia is the striatum. The substantia nigra sends a dopaminergic projection to the dorsal striatum, while the ventral tegmental area sends a similar type of dopaminergic projection to the ventral striatum.
the laRGesT And MosT imporTAnT SouRceS of dopamine In ThE VeRtEbratE bRAin arE thE substaNtiA nIgra and VEntraL Tegmental Area. both STruCtuREs ArE components oF tHe midbRain, cloSelY relAted tO each OtheR anD fUnctionAllY SimilAr iN MAnY reSpectS. tHe largeST compOneNT Of thE Basal gangLiA Is thE striatum. ThE sUbSTAnTia NigRa sends A DopAMinerGIc projecTion to the dorsAl StriaTUM, WhiLe ThE veNtrAl tegMEntal aReA senDs a similar Type of dopAmInergic PRojEction TO thE veNtrAl StriatuM.