Enzyme regulates brain pathology induced by cocaine, stress

Researchers have uncovered a key genetic switch that chronic cocaine or stress influences to cause the brain to descend into a pathological state. In studies with mice they showed how chronic cocaine changes gene activity to enhance the addictive reward from the drug. And they showed similarly how chronic stress induces the same kinds of changes that hypersensitizes the brain, causing depression-like symptoms. The researchers said their basic finding in the animals could lead to better treatments for addiction, depression and other psychiatric disorders. Eric Nestler and colleagues published their findings in the November 8, 2007, issue of the journal Neuron, published by Cell Press. In...

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