Scientists conducted research on mice to answer an important question - why some people become addicted faster than others. What's the answer?
Scientists at the Korean Research Institute have discovered that the dopamine D2 (DRD2) receptors in cholinergic interneurons (CHIN) play a key role in cocaine addiction.
Drug addiction is a mental disorder in which the "person" obsessively searches for and uses drugs, despite their harmful effects. When consumed, drugs increase dopamine levels - in the brain's reward system, and activate dopamine receptors, which in turn causes an intense craving for drugs.
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Explanation of terms:
Dopamine: A neurotransmitter that is released in the brain when a person is rewarded or exposed to addictive substances. It is commonly called the "pleasure hormone" or "happiness hormone". Dopamine receptor: a receptor on the cell membrane that specifically binds to and responds to dopamine
Does everyone get addicted the same?
There are individual differences in drug addiction. Some people are more prone to addiction when they are exposed to a similar dose of the addictive drug. However, the neurobiological mechanism underlying this phenomenon remains elusive.
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Scientists conduct experiments on mice to give an answer to how the addiction mechanism works. - By examining genome-wide gene expression within CHIN, which occur in different individual entities, we have created a pioneering area of research into addiction - learn from the study - As part of further research, we will continue to study the detailed molecular mechanism underlying how addicted animals exhibit elevated DRD2 expression. The search for drug candidates that can control such sensitivity by regulating ACh receptor activity could be another viable future plan.
