Publications by authors named "Daniel J Puttick"
Unlabelled: Dependence is a hallmark feature of opiate addiction and is defined by the emergence of somatic and affective withdrawal signs. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) integrates dopaminergic and glutamatergic inputs to mediate rewarding and aversive properties of opiates. Evidence suggests that AMPA glutamate-receptor-dependent synaptic plasticity within the NAc underlies aspects of addiction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Cocaine increases levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin by blocking their transporters, with dopamine being the main driver of its addictive effects.
- Chronic inhibition of dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH) heightens the negative effects of cocaine and decreases its use, leading to behaviors that suggest increased sensitivity to the drug, although the mechanisms remain unclear.
- The study found that reduced levels of β-arrestin2 in the nucleus accumbens affect how neurons respond to cocaine, indicating that altered noradrenergic activity influences behavioral changes through G-protein signaling in response to dopamine receptor activation.