Scientists Uncover How Cocaine Tricks the Brain Into Feeling Good

A new study reveals how cocaine interferes with the brain’s dopamine regulation by binding to the dopamine transporter, offering insights crucial for developing treatments for cocaine and other addictions.
You’ve likely heard of dopamine, often referred to as the “feel-good hormone.” Drugs like cocaine trigger a spike in dopamine levels in the brain. Under normal circumstances, a protein called the dopamine transporter (DAT) helps manage dopamine levels, ensuring that the brain doesn’t interpret every experience as pleasurable.

However, when affected by cocaine, the brain is unable to regulate dopamine levels. Previously, researchers did not know how cocaine affects the different transporters in the brain, but a new study from the University of Copenhagen has changed that.