Transcriptional plasticity of ventral tegmental area neurons induced after cessation of chronic cocaine exposure is required for incubation of cocaine seeking
Arthy Narayanan, Kendyl N. Laumann, Aaron T Halvorsen, Sasha Burwell, Andrew I. Aldridge, Jinjutha E. Cheepluesak, Xiaolin Wei, Yarui Diao, Christie D. Fowler, Anne E. West
The paper investigates transcriptional changes in VTA neurons after chronic cocaine cessation and their role in relapse, finding that BDNF transcription is causally linked to cocaine seeking.
bioRxiv · Jul 5, 2026 · PreprintNeuroscience