New insights on how cocaine causes wild firing of dopaminergic neurons in the brain
The burst of energy and hyperactivity that comes with a cocaine high is a rather accurate reflection of what’s going on in the brain of its users, finds a study published November 25 in Cell Reports.
Through experiments conducted in rats exposed to cocaine, the researchers mapped out the network of circuits that cause wild firing of neurons that produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates movement and emotion.