A part of the brain called the extended amygdala or BNST (bed nucleus of the stria terminalis) has become the focus of neuroscientists recently, especially with relation to stress- and anxiety-related mental health conditions. Now, researchers from Singapore and South Korea have found that when a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) called dopamine flows to that part of the brain called the BNST, impulsive behavior results. This research, which was done on mice, has excited researchers, according to a summary of the research published in Neuroscience News. The journal article may be found here in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science and the summary here at Neuroscience News. For information on why the BNST has become a focus of research, this article from the journal Molecular Psychiatry may be helpful.