Gaetano Di Chiara

TL;DR: Delta9-THC and heroin exert similar effects on mesolimbic dopamine transmission through a common mu1 opioid receptor mechanism located in the ventral mesencephalic tegmentum.

TL;DR: An associative learning hypothesis is proposed according to which stimuli contingent upon drug reward acquire powerful incentive properties after a relatively limited number of predictive associations with the drug and become particularly resistant to extinction.

TL;DR: It is speculated that drug addiction results from the impact exerted on behavior by the abnormal DA stimulant properties acquired by drug-conditioned stimuli as a result of their association with addictive drugs.

TL;DR: In vivo monitoring studies show that nicotine stimulates dopamine transmission in specific brain areas and in particular, in the shell of the nucleus accumbens and in areas of the extended amygdala, suggesting that nicotine depends on dopamine for those behavioural effects that are most relevant for its reinforcing properties and are likely to be the basis of the abuse liability of tobacco smoke.

TL;DR: Dopamine is involved in the induction and in the expression of behavioural sensitization by repeated exposure to various drugs of abuse, and might be instrumental for the acquisition of responding to drug-related incentive stimuli (incentive learning).