How cocaine changes NMDA receptors in the brain
Cocaine-induced adaptation in NMDA receptors
This project looks at how past cocaine use changes brain synapses that help drive craving and relapse for people with cocaine addiction.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11239760 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, the team uses rodent models of cocaine use to follow specific brain pathways involved in cue-triggered craving. They focus on connections from the infralimbic prefrontal cortex to the nucleus accumbens shell and on two neuron types (D1 and D2 medium spiny neurons). The researchers are studying 'silent synapses' that have NMDA but not AMPA receptors to see whether cocaine rewires circuits by making or eliminating synapses or by changing existing ones. Experiments combine behavioral cocaine self-administration in animals with cell- and circuit-level measurements to map those synaptic changes over time.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with a history of cocaine use or diagnosed cocaine use disorder who are interested in research on relapse mechanisms would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People without cocaine use disorder or those seeking immediate clinical treatment for withdrawal are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this preclinical research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new targets for therapies that reduce cue-driven craving and lower relapse risk in people with cocaine addiction.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal studies have shown that IL-to-NAcSh circuits and silent synapses change after cocaine, but translating those findings into human treatments remains at an early stage.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dong, Yan — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Dong, Yan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.