DiscoverThis Week in Addiction Medicine from ASAMLead: Bitter sensing protects Drosophila from developing experience-dependent cocaine consumption preference
Lead: Bitter sensing protects Drosophila from developing experience-dependent cocaine consumption preference

Lead: Bitter sensing protects Drosophila from developing experience-dependent cocaine consumption preference

Update: 2025-06-10
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Bitter sensing protects Drosophila from developing experience-dependent cocaine consumption preference


The Journal of Neuroscience


Cocaine use disorder (CUD) is a highly heritable condition for which there are no effective treatments. Testing the many human genetic variants linked to CUD requires a cost-effective, genetically tractable model. This study showed that bitter-sensing neurons prevent cocaine self-administration in Drosophila. Disrupting Drosophila bitter perception enables a model for experience-dependent cocaine preference. The findings underscore the potential of Drosophila as a crucial tool for identifying the genetic mechanisms underlying CUD, aiding in the discovery of new therapeutic targets, and contributing to the development of effective treatments for this highly heritable disease.


 


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Lead: Bitter sensing protects Drosophila from developing experience-dependent cocaine consumption preference

Lead: Bitter sensing protects Drosophila from developing experience-dependent cocaine consumption preference

American Society of Addiction Medicine