is known to cause dopamine elevations in the brain reward circuit. In other words, addiction involves an elevation of extracellular levels of dopamine in the brain.
It is known that people who suffer from cocaine addiction exhibit abnormally increased activity in the reward center of their brains. This is what is called increased sensitivity to dopamine.
It is thought that this dopamine receptor hypersensitivity results in a craving for cocaine. However, the exact mechanism underlying the heightened dopamine receptor Ibogaine treatment sensitivity has not been fully understood yet. Researchers have hypothesized that the sensitivity is due to adaptations in dopamine receptors in the brain reward circuitry that is associated with compulsive drug taking.
The mechanism of action of drugs of abuse has been extensively researched. Drugs of abuse, when taken, act to stimulate the dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area of the brain, thereby increasing the availability of dopamine to the frontal cortex.
As dopamine binds to its receptors in the cortex, the prefrontal cortex mediates a wide range of cognitive processes, including decision-making, attention, working memory, and inhibition.
