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Updated: Jun 23, 2025

Assessment of Cocaine-induced Behavioral Sensitization and Conditioned Place Preference in Mice
Published on: February 18, 2016
Psychotomimetic compensation versus sensitization
Ari Brouwer1, Robin L Carhart-Harris2, Charles L Raison3,4,5,6
1Department of Human Development and Family Studies, School of Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Abstract:
It is a paradox that psychotomimetic drugs can relieve symptoms that increase risk of and cooccur with psychosis, such as attention and motivational deficits (e.g., amphetamines), pain (e.g., cannabis) and symptoms of depression (e.g., psychedelics, dissociatives). We introduce the ideas of psychotomimetic compensation and psychotomimetic sensitization to explain this paradox. Psychotomimetic compensation refers to a short-term stressor or drug-induced compensation against stress that is facilitated by engagement of neurotransmitter/modulator systems (endocannabinoid, serotonergic, glutamatergic and dopaminergic) that mediate the effects of common psychotomimetic drugs. Psychotomimetic sensitization occurs after repeated exposure to stress and/or drugs and is evidenced by the gradual intensification and increase of psychotic-like experiences over time. Theoretical and practical implications of this model are discussed.
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