TY - JOUR
T1 - The addicted synapse
T2 - Mechanisms of synaptic and structural plasticity in nucleus accumbens
AU - Russo, Scott J.
AU - Dietz, David M.
AU - Dumitriu, Dani
AU - Morrison, John H.
AU - Malenka, Robert C.
AU - Nestler, Eric J.
PY - 2010/6
Y1 - 2010/6
N2 - Addictive drugs cause persistent restructuring of several neuronal cell types in the limbic regions of brain thought to be responsible for long-term behavioral plasticity driving addiction. Although these structural changes are well documented in nucleus accumbens medium spiny neurons, little is known regarding the underlying molecular mechanisms. Additionally, it remains unclear whether structural plasticity and its synaptic concomitants drive addictive behaviors or whether they reflect homeostatic compensations to the drug not related to addiction per se. Here, we discuss recent paradoxical data, which either support or oppose the hypothesis that drug-induced changes in dendritic spines drive addictive behavior. We define areas where future investigation can provide a more detailed picture of drug-induced synaptic reorganization, including ultrastructural, electrophysiological and behavioral studies.
AB - Addictive drugs cause persistent restructuring of several neuronal cell types in the limbic regions of brain thought to be responsible for long-term behavioral plasticity driving addiction. Although these structural changes are well documented in nucleus accumbens medium spiny neurons, little is known regarding the underlying molecular mechanisms. Additionally, it remains unclear whether structural plasticity and its synaptic concomitants drive addictive behaviors or whether they reflect homeostatic compensations to the drug not related to addiction per se. Here, we discuss recent paradoxical data, which either support or oppose the hypothesis that drug-induced changes in dendritic spines drive addictive behavior. We define areas where future investigation can provide a more detailed picture of drug-induced synaptic reorganization, including ultrastructural, electrophysiological and behavioral studies.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77953544634&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.tins.2010.02.002
DO - 10.1016/j.tins.2010.02.002
M3 - Review article
C2 - 20207024
AN - SCOPUS:77953544634
SN - 0166-2236
VL - 33
SP - 267
EP - 276
JO - Trends in Neurosciences
JF - Trends in Neurosciences
IS - 6
ER -