In rodents, only a single dose of cocaine or amphetamine is required to cause a marked
increase in extracellular dopamine, induce hyperlocomotion and cause persistent plasticity …

Background The potential of abused drugs to induce addiction and compulsive drug-related
behavior is associated with their ability to alter dopamine signaling. Dopamine plays a key …

The aim of the present study was to determine if pre-exposure to high doses of cocaine can
subsequently alter the rewarding effects of this drug. Adult male mice received a …

A key component of combating substance use disorders is understanding the neural
mechanisms that support drug reward. Tasks such as self-administration assess the …

Stimulation of dopamine (DA) D1 receptors in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) is involved in
primary rewards. In the current study we investigated whether VTA D1 receptor stimulation …

We have previously shown that extended‐access subjects exhibit heightened motivation for
cocaine in the runway model, as reflected by reduced number of retreats. This heightened …

It is thought that rewarding experiences with drugs create strong contextual associations and
encourage repeated intake. In turn, repeated exposures to drugs of abuse make lasting …

Repeated exposure to drugs of abuse produces forms of experience-dependent plasticity
including behavioral sensitization. Although a single exposure to many addicting …

Reinstatement of conditioned place preferences have been used to investigate
physiological mechanisms mediating drug-seeking behavior in adolescent and adult …

Neural and physiological factors underlying individual differences in the vulnerability to drug
abuse are the major questions remained to be determined. The present study described …