Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0278080 (physical dependence)
 1,658 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Research with laboratory animals has provided several insights into the nature of cocaine abuse and addiction. First, the nature of drug addiction has been reevaluated and the emphasis has shifted from physical dependence to compulsive drug-taking behavior. Second, animal studies suggest that cocaine is at least as addictive as heroin and possibly even more addictive. Third, cocaine is potentially more dangerous than heroin as evidenced by the higher fatality rate seen in laboratory animals given unlimited access to these drugs. Fourth, the neural basis of cocaine reinforcement has been identified and involves an enhancement of dopaminergic neurotransmission in the ventral tegmental dopamine system. Other addictive drugs (e.g., opiates) may also derive at least part of their reinforcing impact by pharmacologically activating this reward system. Fifth, although the biological consequences of repeated cocaine self-administration on central nervous system functioning are poorly understood, preliminary findings suggest that intravenous cocaine self-administration may decrease neural functioning in this brain reward system. This has important clinical implications because diminished functioning of an important brain reward system may significantly contribute to relapse into cocaine addiction. These and other findings from experimentation with laboratory animals suggest new considerations for the etiology and treatment of drug addiction.
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PMID:New perspectives on cocaine addiction: recent findings from animal research. 268 64

Cocaine is a powerful euphoriant and it relieves, though only transiently, depression, dread and dysphoria. New patterns of cocaine abuse, such as the inhalation of vaporized cocaine base, the intravenous injection of cocaine hydrochloride and the smoking of coca paste, produce a brief elation that quickly gives way either to a return to the baseline mood or to displeasure, resulting in a strong desire to return to the momentary ecstatic experience, a cycle that leads to compulsive use. The enormous profits made from illicit traffic in cocaine lead to corruption, violence and political destabilization. The individual costs of cocaine abuse include loss of personal fortunes, jobs and families. The safety of cocaine use is a myth. There are a number of ways in which cocaine can be lethal. The high doses of cocaine abused today induce physical dependence, but this is less a contributory factor than the intense psychological craving to perpetuate cocaine use. There is no specific way to treat dysfunctional cocaine use; instead the treatment plan must deal with the individual's specific situation. Except for a reduction of cocaine supply at the source, preventive measures are only feasible in the context of abstinence from all abusable drugs.
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PMID:Recent developments in the abuse of cocaine. 644 Jun 13