Biological Psychiatry
Animal Study
Adolescent Nicotine Rewires Brain Circuitry to Boost Opioid Reward in Mice
Early nicotine exposure alters GABA signaling in the ventral tegmental area, amplifying the rewarding effects of morphine in adult mice.
Biological Psychiatry
Cohort Study
Menstrual Cycle Phases Alter Brain Reactivity to Drug Cues
Functional MRI reveals that estrogen heightens cue-induced craving in women with substance use disorders, while progesterone blunts it.
Biological Psychiatry
Animal Study
Nicotine Rewires Habenular Circuits in Mice, Altering Food Motivation
Chronic nicotine exposure in mice disrupts top-down control of the LDT-VTA cholinergic axis, driving exaggerated food-seeking behavior.
Biological Psychiatry
Animal Study
Epigenetic Target HDAC5 Reduces Environment-Triggered Cocaine Seeking in Rats
In a rat model, overexpressing the enzyme HDAC5 in the prelimbic cortex shifted synaptic balance to suppress context-driven cocaine seeking.