NIDA Notes: Impacts of Drugs on Neurotransmission

This articles discusses the central importance of studying drugs’ effects on neurotransmission and describes some of the most common experimental methods used in this research.

Drugs can alter the way people think, feel, and behave by disrupting neurotransmission, the process of communication between neurons (nerve cells) in the brain. Many scientific studies conducted over decades have established that drug dependence and addiction are features of an organic brain disorder caused by drugs’ cumulative impacts on neurotransmission. Scientists continue to build on this essential understanding with experiments to further elucidate the physiological factors that make a person prone to using drugs, as well as the full dimensions and progression of the disorder. The findings provide powerful leads for developing new medications and behavioral treatments. Click here to continue reading!

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