NEUROCHEMICAL CHANGES IN COCAINE WITHDRAWAL

Cocaine withdrawal in animals causes a transient increase followed by a long-lasting decrease in mesolimbic dopamine transporters, dopamine efflux and the number of dopamine cells firing spontaneously. Other ch anges in the nucleus accumbens and frontal cortex also suggest alterat ions in dopamine-receptive neurones and circuits. In humans, brain ima ging has provided evidence for some similar, long-lasting changes in d opaminergic neurones and innervated areas, These results suggest a pro tracted biochemical abstinence syndrome for cocaine. In this review, M ichael Kuhar and Nancy Pilotte focus on biochemical changes that occur following withdrawal from repeated cocaine administration. A key ques tion for treatment is whether (some of) these persistent changes under lie withdrawal symptomatology such as anhedonia and relapse.