Featured Paper of the Month

Featured Paper of the Month – May 2021 Published in Psychopharmacology by  Leigh V Panlilio, et al. in the NIDA IRP Real-world Assessment, Prediction, and Treatment Unit. Summary Despite the popular conception that people in treatment for opioid addiction either become abstinent or relapse into a spiral of continuous drug use, many actually continue using drugs… [Read More]

Featured Paper of the Month – April 2021 Published in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging by  John Fedota, Ph.D. and Thomas Ross, Ph.D.,  et al. in the NIDA IRP Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience of Addiction Section. Summary Quitting smoking is hard. This is largely due to the nicotine withdrawal syndrome. Withdrawal from cigarettes is… [Read More]

Featured Paper of the Month – March 2021 Published in The Journal of Neuroscience by  Ewa Galaj, Ph.D. Ph.D. and Zheng-Xiong Xi, M.D., Ph.D.,  et al. in the NIDA IRP Addiction Biology Unit. Summary Opioid reward has long been believed to be mediated by inhibition of VTA GABA interneurons that disinhibits DA neurons. In this… [Read More]

Featured Paper of the Month – February 2021 The dopamine transporter (DAT) functions to control dopaminergic neurotransmission and is a target for therapeutic agents, including ADHD medications, as well as abused substances, such as cocaine. Here, we develop new fluorescently labeled ligands as promising new tools for studying DAT localization and regulation with single-molecule resolution…. [Read More]

Featured Paper of the Month – January 2021 The use of  methamphetamine (METH) is very prevalent throughout the world. METH can cause anxiety, psychosis, seizures, and death. Previous research in the Cadet Lab has shown that METH can cause neurodegeneration when the drug is injected by investigators.  It was therefore important to find out if… [Read More]

Featured Paper of the Month – December 2020 In this study, starting from our highly selective and potent D3R agonist 5 , we further investigated the chemical space around the linker portion of the molecule, via insertion of a hydroxyl substituent and ring-expansion of the trans cyclopropyl moiety into a trans -cyclohexyl scaffold. Moreover, inspired… [Read More]

Featured Paper of the Month – November 2020. The nonmedical (i.e., recreational) misuse of synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) is a worldwide public health problem. When compared to cannabis, the misuse of SCs is associated with a higher incidence of serious adverse effects, suggesting the possible involvement of noncannabinoid sites of action. Here, we find that, unlike… [Read More]

Featured Paper of the Month – October 2020. Modafinil and methylphenidate are clinically available medications that inhibit the reuptake of dopamine in neurons, a common mechanism with psychostimulants like cocaine. We investigated the reinforcing actions of modafinil or methylphenidate alone and in combination with cocaine, in rats. While rats did not self-administer modafinil, suggesting low… [Read More]

Featured Paper of the Month – September 2020. The serotonin transporter (SERT) terminates serotonin signaling by rapid presynaptic reuptake. SERT activity is modulated by antidepressants, e.g., S-citalopram and imipramine, to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. SERT crystal structures reveal two S-citalopram binding pockets in the central binding (S1) site and the extracellular vestibule (S2… [Read More]

Featured Paper of the Month – August 2020. Fentanyl is a major contributor to the opioid overdose crisis, but there are few preclinical studies of fentanyl relapse. These studies have used experimenter-imposed extinction or forced abstinence procedures. In humans, however, abstinence is often voluntary, with drug available in the drug environment but forgone in favor… [Read More]