Differential effects of cocaine exposure on the abundance of phospholipid species in rat brain and blood.

Background: Lipid profiles in the blood are altered in human cocaine users, suggesting that cocaine exposure can induce lipid remodeling.

Methods: Lipid changes in the brain tissues of rats sensitized to cocaine were determined through shotgun lipidomics using electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). We also performed pairwise principal component analysis (PCA) to assess cocaine-induced changes in blood lipid profiles.