1. Silent Synapse-Based Circuitry Remodeling in Drug Addiction.
- Author
-
Dong Y
- Subjects
- Adaptation, Physiological, Adaptation, Psychological, Animals, Behavior, Addictive metabolism, Behavior, Addictive physiopathology, Behavior, Addictive psychology, Cocaine-Related Disorders metabolism, Cocaine-Related Disorders psychology, Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials, Glutamic Acid metabolism, Humans, Nucleus Accumbens metabolism, Nucleus Accumbens physiopathology, Receptors, Glutamate metabolism, Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate drug effects, Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate metabolism, Central Nervous System Stimulants adverse effects, Cocaine adverse effects, Cocaine-Related Disorders physiopathology, Drug Users psychology, Neuronal Plasticity drug effects, Nucleus Accumbens drug effects, Receptors, Glutamate drug effects, Synaptic Transmission drug effects
- Abstract
Exposure to cocaine, and likely other drugs of abuse, generates α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor-silent glutamatergic synapses in the nucleus accumbens. These immature synaptic contacts evolve after drug withdrawal to redefine the neurocircuital properties. These results raise at least three critical questions: (1) what are the molecular and cellular mechanisms that mediate drug-induced generation of silent synapses; (2) how are neurocircuits remodeled upon generation and evolution of drug-generated silent synapses; and (3) what behavioral consequences are produced by silent synapse-based circuitry remodeling? This short review analyzes related experimental results, and extends them to some speculations., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of CINP.)
- Published
- 2016
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