Cocaine Hijacks a Brain Circuit Used for Everyday Behaviors
Oct. 1, 2026 – After receiving cocaine day after day, mice slowly stop doing most of what mice normally do. Over the days, they explore less, groom less and spend more of every session licking the floor and walls. "Cocaine does not appear to create an entirely new behavioral program," Gonzales said. "It takes control of a circuit the brain already uses for natural actions and pushes behavior toward persistent repetition."
