title: Confused about NMDA and addiction? Targeted knockouts provide answers and new questions.
abstract: NMDA-dependent plasticity in VTA dopamine neurons has been hypothesized to be an important first step in the development of long-term changes in the brain reward circuitry that underlie addiction. Two papers from Zweifel et al. and Engblom et al. in this issue of Neuron raise new questions concerning the role of NMDA receptors within VTA dopamine neurons in mediating the behavioral effects of drugs of abuse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Kalivas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017557:Ventral Tegmental Area / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D004298:Dopamine