How do Benzodiazepines induce rewarding (euphoric) effects?

Question

Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs that serve as positive allosteric modulators of the GABA receptor by binding to their own "site" on the aforementioned receptor. By doing this they produce euphoria and a wide range of effects characteristic of Central Nervous System (CNS) depression (e.g. anxiolysis, sedation, amnesia, mental confusion, muscle relaxant effects). I know that an interaction with the mesolimbic dopamine ("reward") pathway would have to come in somewhere but where? I also know that GABAergic neurons downregulate activity in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway and that this is how opioids and cannabinoids induce euphoria -- they inhibit the release of GABA from presynaptic neurons in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway. I just find that this would be confusing in the case of benzodiazepines since they increase GABA activity, presumably also in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway thus producing dysphoria and not euphoria. **I just would like to know how they manage to induce euphoria in full (what they do to increase activity in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway that thus leads to euphoria)

Answer 1

In humans of selective benzodiazepine effects on accumbens, consistent with GABAergic activation of the mesolimbic dopamine system. Anxiolytic effects of benzodiazepines have been linked to reduced amygdala activity. In my opinion increased accumbens perfusion with benzodiazepines reflects known effects of benzodiazepines including euphoria, disinhibition, impulsivity, risk-taking, and addiction. Muscle relaxation and disinhibition also play a part in euphoria.