Localization of neurochemical effects of cocaine and other stimulants in the human brain.

The cocaine epidemic is a complex problem that has defied conventional medical, psychological, and legal interventions. A better understanding of the brain mechanisms that lead to cocaine's unsurpassed euphoric and reinforcing effects, as well as to associated physical brain damage, will be needed to develop new treatment strategies. Although much work has been done on cocaine's effects in the brains of animals, most techniques used have not been safe for human subjects. Positron emission tomography (PET) offers a unique opportunity for studying the cerebral biochemistry of cocaine abuse in humans. The authors present preliminary data from their ongoing studies of the effects of cocaine and related psychostimulants on the brain's energy requirements and on catecholamine neurotransmitter systems.