Addiction is a complex disease that impacts millions of people around the world. Clinically,
addiction is formalized as substance use disorder (SUD), with three primary symptom …

G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium channels (Kir3/GirK) are important for
maintaining resting membrane potential, cell excitability and inhibitory neurotransmission …

Dopaminergic neurons modulate neural circuits and behaviors via dopamine (DA) release
from expansive, long range axonal projections. The elaborate cytoarchitecture of these …

In recent years, the population of neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia
nigra (SN) has been examined at multiple levels. The results indicate that the projections …

G protein-gated inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK/Kir3) channels exert a critical inhibitory
influence on neurons. Neuronal GIRK channels mediate the G protein-dependent …

Dopamine (D2) receptors provide autoinhibitory feedback onto dopamine neurons through
well-known interactions with voltage-gated calcium channels and G protein-coupled …

Drug addiction is a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive, out-of-
control drug use and the appearance of negative somatic and emotional consequences …

Ghrelin receptor, also known as growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R1a), is
coexpressed with its truncated isoform GHS-R1b, which does not bind ghrelin or signal, but …

Background and Purpose Drugs of abuse, including alcohol, increase dopamine in the
mesocorticolimbic system via actions on dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area …

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are ubiquitous throughout the world. However, much
remains to be done to develop pharmacotherapies that are very efficacious because the …