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Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Using Optogenetics to Reverse Neuroplasticity and Inhibit Cocaine Seeking in Rats
Published on: October 5, 2021
Cocaine inverts rules for synaptic plasticity of glutamate transmission in the ventral tegmental area
Manuel Mameli1, Camilla Bellone, Matthew T C Brown
1Department of Basic Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Abstract:
The manner in which drug-evoked synaptic plasticity affects reward circuits remains largely elusive. We found that cocaine reduced NMDA receptor excitatory postsynaptic currents and inserted GluA2-lacking AMPA receptors in dopamine neurons of mice. Consequently, a stimulation protocol pairing glutamate release with hyperpolarizing current injections further strengthened synapses after cocaine treatment. Our data suggest that early cocaine-evoked plasticity in the ventral tegmental area inverts the rules for activity-dependent plasticity, eventually leading to addictive behavior.
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