Compulsion is a cardinal symptom of drug addiction (severe substance use disorder).
However, compulsion is observed in only a small proportion of individuals who repeatedly …

Implantable biosensors are valuable scientific tools for basic neuroscience research and
clinical applications. Neurotechnologies provide direct readouts of neurological signal and …

Situations in which rewards are unexpectedly obtained or withheld represent opportunities
for new learning. Often, this learning includes identifying cues that predict reward …

Ketamine is used clinically as an anaesthetic and a fast-acting antidepressant, and
recreationally for its dissociative properties, raising concerns of addiction as a possible side …

Both observational and perturbational technologies are essential for advancing the
understanding of brain function and dysfunction. But while observational techniques have …

Genetically encoded, single-component optogenetic tools have made a significant impact on
neuroscience, enabling specific modulation of selected cells within complex neural tissues …

The constant dynamic movement of synapses and their components has emerged in the last
decades as a key feature of synaptic transmission and its plasticity. Intramolecular protein …

Addictive drugs have in common that they target the mesocorticolimbic dopamine (DA)
system. This system originates in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and projects mainly to the …

The factors causing the transition from recreational drug consumption to addiction remain
largely unknown. It has not been tested whether dopamine (DA) is sufficient to trigger this …

Addiction is a disease of altered behavior. Addicts use drugs compulsively and will continue
to do so despite negative consequences. Even after prolonged periods of abstinence …