Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena01:15

Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena

Drug dependence, abuse, and addiction are complex phenomena that can precipitate various abnormal states. Physical dependence refers to a state of pharmacological adaptation to a drug. This adaptation often results in tolerance—a reduced response to the drug after repeated administrations. When the drug use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur due to the body's need to readjust from the pharmacologically induced imbalance. However, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms do not necessarily...
Long-term Potentiation01:25

Long-term Potentiation

Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Hebbian LTP
LTP can occur when presynaptic neurons...
Long-term Potentiation01:35

Long-term Potentiation

Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre- and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Integration of Synaptic Events01:28

Integration of Synaptic Events

Synaptic integration mainly includes the summation of graded potentials. Graded potentials, regardless of their type, cause subtle alterations in membrane voltage, resulting in either depolarization or hyperpolarization. These incremental changes, when combined or summed, can propel the neuron toward its threshold. Consider, for example, a membrane experiencing a +15 mV shift, causing it to depolarize from -70 mV to -55 mV. In this scenario, graded potentials govern the membrane's ability to...
Neurochemical Transmission: Sites of Drug Action01:26

Neurochemical Transmission: Sites of Drug Action

Neurochemical transmission, the conduction of electrical impulses between neurons mediated by neurotransmitters, plays a vital role in various physiological processes. Autonomic drugs exert their effects by modulating neurotransmission within the autonomic nervous system. For instance, drugs such as hemicholinium block the precursor uptake necessary for synthesizing acetylcholine, an essential autonomic neurotransmitter. Following synthesis, neurotransmitters are stored in vesicles. Metyrosine...
Neuroplasticity01:01

Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity reflects the brain's remarkable capacity to adapt and evolve, responding dynamically to learning, experiences, or injury by reorganizing its neural circuitry. This reorganization involves creating new neural connections and refining old ones through a series of biological processes that contribute to the brain's lifelong development and adaptability.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Advancing Clinical Translational Research for Profound Autism.

Biological psychiatry·2026
Same author

Local control of dopamine release in nucleus accumbens gates opioid withdrawal aversion.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Neuropeptide Y receptor modulation of dopamine transmission in the nucleus accumbens core.

Neuropeptides·2026
Same author

16p11.2 duplication and NMDA receptor antagonism have distinct impacts on reward learning and decision making.

Psychopharmacology·2026
Same author

Dichotomous Regulation of Social Behaviors by Nucleus Accumbens Neurons in Female and Male Syrian Hamsters.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
Same author

Dopamine and serotonin inversely modulate D2 medium spiny neurons to regulate cocaine reward.

Nature communications·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 28, 2026

Comprehensive Analysis of Transcription Dynamics from Brain Samples Following Behavioral Experience
08:14

Comprehensive Analysis of Transcription Dynamics from Brain Samples Following Behavioral Experience

Published on: August 26, 2014

Integrating synaptic plasticity and striatal circuit function in addiction.

Brad A Grueter1, Patrick E Rothwell, Robert C Malenka

  • 1Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94305, United States.

Current Opinion in Neurobiology
|October 18, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Addictive drugs alter brain pathways in the striatum, affecting synaptic plasticity and potentially leading to habitual drug use. Understanding these persistent changes is key to addressing addiction.

More Related Videos

Using Optogenetics to Reverse Neuroplasticity and Inhibit Cocaine Seeking in Rats
09:43

Using Optogenetics to Reverse Neuroplasticity and Inhibit Cocaine Seeking in Rats

Published on: October 5, 2021

Rodent Brain Microinjection to Study Molecular Substrates of Motivated Behavior
10:05

Rodent Brain Microinjection to Study Molecular Substrates of Motivated Behavior

Published on: September 16, 2015

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 28, 2026

Comprehensive Analysis of Transcription Dynamics from Brain Samples Following Behavioral Experience
08:14

Comprehensive Analysis of Transcription Dynamics from Brain Samples Following Behavioral Experience

Published on: August 26, 2014

Using Optogenetics to Reverse Neuroplasticity and Inhibit Cocaine Seeking in Rats
09:43

Using Optogenetics to Reverse Neuroplasticity and Inhibit Cocaine Seeking in Rats

Published on: October 5, 2021

Rodent Brain Microinjection to Study Molecular Substrates of Motivated Behavior
10:05

Rodent Brain Microinjection to Study Molecular Substrates of Motivated Behavior

Published on: September 16, 2015

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Addiction Research
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Addictive drugs induce persistent changes in the striatal complex, impacting synaptic function.
  • These alterations occur in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and dorsal striatum, regions crucial for reward and habit formation.
  • Understanding these neuroadaptations is vital due to the long-lasting behavioral effects of drug abuse.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the persistent changes in striatal circuits caused by in vivo drug exposure.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying drug-induced synaptic modifications.
  • To understand how drugs of abuse interfere with natural learning processes.

Main Methods:

  • The study focuses on analyzing synaptic adaptations within the striatal complex following drug exposure.
  • Methods likely involve in vivo experiments to observe changes in dendritic morphology and receptor function.
  • Analysis of ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluR) and synaptic plasticity induction is central.

Main Results:

  • Drug exposure leads to modifications in dendritic morphology within the striatum.
  • Synaptic plasticity induction is altered, with changes observed in ionotropic glutamate receptors.
  • Persistent changes in striatal circuits are identified, mimicking or interfering with natural synaptic processes.

Conclusions:

  • Addictive drugs cause lasting synaptic and structural changes in the striatum.
  • These neuroadaptations contribute to the development and maintenance of drug addiction.
  • Further understanding of these molecular mechanisms can inform therapeutic strategies for addiction.