Article,
The addicted synapse: Mechanisms of synaptic and structural plasticity in nucleus accumbens
Trends in Neurosciences, (2010)
DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2010.02.002
Abstract
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.
