[Research](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2021.661880/full): The dopamine system and automatization of movement sequences: A review with relevance for speech and stuttering * the basal ganglia, the cerebellum, and the cerebral cortex are specialized for three different principles of learning: (1) the basal ganglia is specialized for *reinforcement learning*, based on the dopamine teaching signals (2) the cerebellum is associated with *error-based learning* (independently from reward) based on mechanistic minimization of movement errors relative to the intended target (3) the cortex is specialized in *unsupervised* or *Hebbian learning (*“neurons wire together if they fire together”) i.e., “blind learning”. The subcortical input originating from the basal ganglia can act as teaching-signals for this Hebbian learning * Dopamine release varies with coping strategies: active coping increases dopamine in the NAcc, while passive coping decreases it. It appears that the perceived attainability is of key importance for the release of dopamine and the behavioral response, with an inhibition of dopamine and action if the aversive stimulus is perceived to be unavoidable, or if the appetitive stimulus is perceived to be unattainable. In this sense, the motivation for action would be based on a combination of subjective value and the perceived attainability. * The function of these neurons is to increase the level of attention and arousal in moments of perceived danger, whereas dopamine neurons with typical pattern of signaling are more related to approaching and evaluating the possible outcomes of actions. the dopamine system can be viewed as a core component in basically all human behavior, conveying a compound estimate of subjective evaluations, and playing a central role in both the learning and execution of automatized action sequences. The normal learning of sequences tends to be based on reinforcement learning, with phasic release of dopamine as the primary teaching signal indicating successful sequences. * Situational variability of stuttering: Dopamine signaling occurs when the convergent input to the SNc, from different parts of the brain, show sufficient synchrony and “consensus.” Thus, the dopamine signaling may be described as intrinsically dynamic and varying, depending on the specific situation and the internal state of the person. Suggesting that the dynamics of the dopamine signaling from the SNc and the VTA during speech is the main neural basis for the situational variability of stuttering [Research](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3580021/): Speech-induced striatal dopamine release is left lateralized and coupled to functional striatal circuits in healthy humans: A combined PET, fMRI and DTI study * Dopamine is known to play a crucial role in the brain's reward system and error prediction. Beliefs about performance or errors during speech tasks could influence dopamine release, as dopamine modulates neural activity and networks related to behavioral outcomes. This is inferred from the general role of dopamine in human behaviors and learning processes. The complexity and type of speech task can similarly influence dopamine release levels. * *Phonological accuracy and error monitoring*: The role of the caudate nucleus in monitoring phonological accuracy and suppressing unintended responses suggests that tasks involving phonological violations or requiring high phonological accuracy can influence dopamine release. The absence of phonological errors in a task might reduce the need for dopaminergic modulation in the caudate nucleus. * In this study, dopamine release was linked to goal-directed speech production rather than habitual motor control, indicating that cognitive aspects of speech (like semantic processing and episodic memory) significantly influence dopaminergic modulation **Question**: How is dopamine release associated with the situational variability in stuttering from word to word?