Synaptic mechanisms underlying persistent cocaine craving

摘要: Although it is challenging for individuals with cocaine addiction to achieve abstinence, the greatest difficulty avoiding relapse drug taking, which often triggered by cues associated prior use. This vulnerability persists long periods (months years) after abstinence achieved. Here, I discuss rodent studies of cue-induced craving during a focus on neuronal plasticity in reward circuitry that maintains high levels craving. Such work has potential identify new therapeutic targets and further our understanding experience-dependent adult brain under normal circumstances context addiction.