A key brain circuit in the fight against cocaine use disorder
A new study published in Science Advances by Penn Nursing’s Heath Schmidt has identified a critical brain circuit that plays a pivotal role in regulating cocaine-seeking behavior.
A new study published in Science Advances, led by School of Nursing Professor Heath D. Schmidt, has identified a critical brain circuit that plays a pivotal role in regulating cocaine-seeking behavior.
At the heart of this discovery lies the role of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone known for its involvement in regulating food intake and blood sugar. The study revealed that chronic cocaine use is associated with reduced GLP-1 levels, effects that suggest that increasing central GLP-1 signaling could reduce cocaine-seeking behavior.
Further investigation pinpointed a key brain region involved in reward and motivation. By manipulating this neural circuit, researchers were able to significantly reduce cocaine-seeking behavior in animal models.
“This research provides exciting new insights into the brain mechanisms underlying cocaine seeking,” says Schmidt. “By understanding how GLP-1 signaling influences brain activity in this context, we can potentially develop new GLP-1-based treatments to treat cocaine use disorder.”
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