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Addiction Science

The Brain & the Actions of Cocaine, Opiates, and Marijuana

The first in a 5-part series, offers an understanding of the brain, how the reward center works, and what happens in the brain when a person uses cocaine, opiates (heroine), or marijuana.

Revised: January 2007
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Office Meets Dynamic Challenges of Diversity

Describes NIDA’s Special Populations Office which promotes addiction science that examines health disparities and foster research careers among members of underrepresented communities.

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Brain Changes Accompany Cocaine Withdrawal

Summarizes an animal study of the neural changes in the amygdala portion of the brain that occur as a result of cocaine exposure followed by withdrawal of the drug.

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Nicotine Alters the Developing Rat Brain

Describes animal studies that suggested exposure to the drug during gestation or adolescence may cause lasting alterations in reward and motivation circuits.

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Cocaine Craving Activates Brain Reward Structures; Cocaine "High" Dampens Them

Reports on a study that documenting changing emotional and neurobiological responses to cocaine with successive doses during a single session of drug taking.

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Scientists Pinpoint Brain's Sweet Tooth

Reports on research that successfully traced rats’ liking for sweets to a 1-cubic millimeter site in the medial shell of the nucleus accumbens in the brain.

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NIDA Investigator Receives 2006 Waletzky Memorial Award

Announces the recipient of a 2006 award for innovation in research on drug addiction and alcoholism, Dr. Yavin Shaham, and describes his research which focused on the stress-induced drug use relapse.

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Exposure to Morphine During Early Adolescence Sensitizes Rats as Adults

Presents highlights of a study indicating that exposure to morphine during adolescence may increase sensitivity to the drug during adulthood.

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Tracing NET

Describes research that has led to the development of a new tool, a new radiotracer, for studying the neurobiology of depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and stimulant abuse.

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NIDA's Newest Division Mines Clinical Applications From Basic Research

Describes the role of the Division of Clinical Neuroscience and Behavioral Research in NIDA’s drug abuse and addiction research plan.

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