AUTHOR=He Zhengming , Jiang Yao , Gu Simeng , Wu Dandan , Qin Duo , Feng Guangkui , Ma Xianjun , Huang Jason H. , Wang Fushun TITLE=The Aversion Function of the Limbic Dopaminergic Neurons and Their Roles in Functional Neurological Disorders JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2021 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cell-and-developmental-biology/articles/10.3389/fcell.2021.713762 DOI=10.3389/fcell.2021.713762 ISSN=2296-634X ABSTRACT=Freudian theory of conversion suggested that the major symptoms of Functional Neurological Disorders (FND) are due to internal conflicts at motivation, especially the sex drive or libido. Sex drive is the major source of dopamine (DA) release in the brain, however, how DA is involved in FND is not clear. Dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons have been shown to play a key role in processing motivation-related information, and the most interesting thing is that DAergic neurons are recently found to be involved in reward-related prediction error. In addition, DA is also involved in the prediction of aversive information. Therefore, it is suggested that DA might change the rewarding reactions to aversive reactions at internal conflicts of FND. So DAergic neurons might induce three major motivational functions: reward, aversion and alert at internal conflicts. This article reviews the recent advances on studies about DAergic neurons involved in aversive stimulus processing at internal conflicts, and summarizes several neural pathways, consisting of four limbic system brain regions; that are involved in the processing of aversion. Then the article discusses the vital function of these neural circuits in addictive behavior, depression treatment and functional neurological disorders. Considering the theoretical deficiencies, with other explanations of the limbic DA system involved in aversion processing, it provides a prospect for future research on the aversion function of limbic system DA neurons and the therapy of functional neurological disorders.