Recent studies examining the neurobiology of substance abuse have revealed a significant
role of neuroimmune signaling as a mechanism through which drugs of abuse induce …

Chronic use of drugs of abuse affects neuroimmune signaling; however, there are still many
open questions regarding the interactions between neuroimmune mechanisms and …

Cathinone is a plant alkaloid found in khat leaves of perennial shrubs grown in East Africa.
Similar to cocaine, cathinone elicits psychostimulant effects which are in part attributed to its …

CC chemokine receptor type 5, also known as CCR5 or CD195, is best known as a viral co-
receptor that facilitates entry of HIV into cells. Evidence that CCR5 knockout mice display …

Drugs of abuse activate neuroimmune signaling in addiction-related regions of the brain,
including the prefrontal cortex (PFC) which mediates executive control, attention, and …

The synthetic cathinones are man-made compounds derived from the naturally occurring
drug cathinone, which is found in the khat plant. The drugs in this pharmacological class that …

Efficacious pharmacotherapies for the treatment of substance use disorders need to be
expanded and improved. Non-neuronal cells, particularly astrocytes and microglia, have …

Rationale The number of synthetic derivatives of cathinone, the primary psychoactive
alkaloid found in Catha edulis (khat), has risen exponentially in the past decade. Synthetic …

Psychostimulant exposure and withdrawal cause neuroimmune dysregulation and anxiety
that contributes to dependence and relapse. Here, we tested the hypothesis that withdrawal …

Synthetic cathinones are used as stimulants of abuse. Many abused drugs, including
stimulants, activate nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) transcription leading to increases in NF-κB …