Related Experiment Videos
Drugs of abuse and brain gene expression
1Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo, 14260, USA. gtorres@acsu.buffalo.edu
Psychosomatic Medicine
|October 8, 1999
Abstract:
Addictive drugs like cocaine, ethanol, and morphine activate signal transduction pathways that regulate brain gene expression. Such regulation is modulated by the presence of certain transcription factor proteins present in a given neuron. This article summarizes the effects of several addictive drugs on transcriptional processes contributing to the development of a drug-dependent state. The characterization of drug-induced changes in gene expression shows promise for improving our understanding of drug-addiction phenomena and cellular modes of cocaine, ethanol, and morphine action.