title: Localization of neurochemical effects of cocaine and other stimulants in the human brain.
abstract: The cocaine epidemic is a complex problem that has defied conventional medical, psychological, and legal interventions. A better understanding of the brain mechanisms that lead to cocaine's unsurpassed euphoric and reinforcing effects, as well as to associated physical brain damage, will be needed to develop new treatment strategies. Although much work has been done on cocaine's effects in the brains of animals, most techniques used have not been safe for human subjects. Positron emission tomography (PET) offers a unique opportunity for studying the cerebral biochemistry of cocaine abuse in humans. The authors present preliminary data from their ongoing studies of the effects of cocaine and related psychostimulants on the brain's energy requirements and on catecholamine neurotransmitter systems.
authors.affiliation: University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine.
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Baxter
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Phelps
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Mazziotta
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barrio
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rawson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Engel
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Guze
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Selin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sumida
mesh_terms: D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
chemical_list: D003042:Cocaine; D005947:Glucose