Am J Psychiatry 1996; 153:1216-1218
Copyright © 1996 by American Psychiatric Association
Alteration of brain dopamine and serotonin levels in cocaine users: a preliminary report
KY Little, UN Patel, TB Clark and JD Butts
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
OBJECTIVE: This study tested the hypothesis that cocaine depletes dopamine
levels in the brain. METHOD: Levels of dopamine, serotonin, and their
metabolites in the frontal cortex and striatum of nine cocaine users and
nine matched control subjects who had never used cocaine were determined
from postmortem autopsy material. RESULTS: The cocaine users had
significantly lower dopamine levels and higher serotonin levels in the
frontal cortex than the control subjects. Levels in other brain areas did
not differ between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Alterations of dopamine and
serotonin levels might contribute to symptoms of cocaine withdrawal and
craving.
