A single exposure to drugs of abuse produces an NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-dependent long-
term potentiation (LTP) of AMPA receptor (AMPAR) currents in DA neurons; however, the …

Drug-evoked synaptic plasticity in the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system reorganizes neural
circuits that may lead to addictive behavior. The first cocaine exposure potentiates AMPAR …

Potentiation of excitatory inputs onto dopamine neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA)
induced by cocaine exposure allows remodeling of the mesocorticolimbic circuitry, which …

Addiction to alcohol and drugs is a major social and economic problem, and there is
considerable interest in understanding the molecular mechanisms that promote addictive …

The interaction of dopamine and glutamate in limbic brain regions mediates behaviors
associated with psychostimulants, which act in part to increase dopamine signaling at both …

NMDA receptor-mediated glutamate transmission is required for several forms of neuronal
plasticity. Its role in the neuronal responses to addictive drugs is an ongoing subject of …

Cue-induced cocaine craving progressively intensifies (incubates) after withdrawal from
cocaine self-administration in rats and humans. In rats, the expression of incubation …

Postsynaptic interactions between dopamine (DA) and glutamate receptors in the nucleus
accumbens (NAc) are critical for addiction. To determine the effect of acute and repeated DA …

Repeated exposure to psychostimulant drugs such as cocaine or amphetamine can promote
drug-seeking and-taking behavior. In rodent addiction models, persistent changes in …

Cocaine strengthens excitatory synapses onto midbrain dopamine neurons through the
synaptic delivery of GluR1-containing AMPA receptors. This cocaine-evoked plasticity …