The findings were published in the June 6 edition of the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that determines a variety of critical brain functions.
An imbalance of the dopaminergic system may result in disease and brain dysfunction, such as Parkinson s disease and schizophrenia. Investigators have been looking at the role that dopaminergic transmission plays in drug abuse to develop a better understanding of how addictions originate. Drugs such as amphetamines are known to promote the release of dopamine, but until now the mechanisms behind this action were a mystery. Galli, Saunders and Leeb-Lundberg, working in collaboration with researchers from Columbia University, have unlocked part of the mystery. Their research indicates that amphetamine response reduces the number of dopamine transporters on the cell surface, thereby elevating dopamine release.