"Cocaine's Impact on the Basal Ganglia: Widespread Alterations Revealed"
A neuroimaging study conducted in China found that individuals with cocaine use disorder showed signs of atrophy in various brain regions, particularly in the basal ganglia. The study revealed that these alterations were more pronounced in individuals who started using cocaine before the age of 18. The basal ganglia are involved in motor control, learning, cognition, and emotional regulation. The findings provide insights into the neural changes associated with cocaine use and may contribute to the development of effective interventions for treating cocaine use disorder. However, the study design does not establish causation, and healthy individuals included in the study had a history of tobacco use and some experience with cocaine.
