Cocaine

Cocaine Addiction Linked to Brain Shrinkage & Grey Matter Deficits (2024 Study)

by

Cocaine Use Disorder (CUD) patients exhibit widespread gray matter atrophy, with specific brain volume deficits associated with crack-cocaine use and relapse outcomes. Highlights: Widespread Gray Matter Atrophy: CUD patients show significant gray matter volume reductions in frontal and temporal cortices, cerebellum, and subcortical structures compared to healthy controls. Route of Use: Crack-cocaine use is linked …

Read more

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) of Nucleus Accumbens Treats Cocaine Addiction in Male Rats But Not Females (2024 Study)

by

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the nucleus accumbens reduces cocaine seeking in male rats but is ineffective in female rats, regardless of their estrous cycle phase. Highlights: No FDA-Approved Treatments: There are currently no FDA-approved treatments for cocaine use disorder. DBS Reduces Cocaine Seeking in Males: Previous studies and the current experiment show that DBS …

Read more

Low-Dose Amphetamine Restores Dopamine Transporters in Cocaine Addiction, Rat Study

by

Cocaine abuse leads to dysfunction of brain dopamine systems and the development of addiction. New research identifies changes in the dopamine transporter as a driving force underlying cocaine addiction, and points to a novel way to reverse these detrimental effects. Key Facts: Cocaine abuse caused the dopamine transporter to form larger complexes of multiple transporter …

Read more

Cocaine Destroys Gray Matter & Accelerates Brain Aging

by

Cocaine use can lead to significant structural changes and accelerated aging of the brain, according to a new study. Key findings include: Cocaine users showed widespread gray matter loss in areas involved in emotions, language, cognition and decision-making. Cocaine users had “older” looking brains, with brain-predicted age 2.5 years higher than their real age. Brain …

Read more

Modafinil for Cocaine Addiction Treatment? Study Suggests Potential Benefit

by

Researchers have tested an existing medication, modafinil, for treating cocaine addiction. The results show that modafinil can significantly reduce cocaine use, but its effectiveness depends on the situation and circumstances when cocaine is used. Key facts: Modafinil reduced cocaine use when cocaine was costly and no cocaine had been used recently. Modafinil did not reduce …

Read more