Carboni et al, 2001, Pettit and Justice, 1989). This increase in dopamine, which lingers in the synaptic cleft making it more accessible to both pre- and post-synaptic receptors, partly accounts for the euphoric and addictive properties of cocaine (for review see Nestler, 2005; Kelley and Berridge, 2002). A role for reduced uptake of DA in cocaine reward has been demonstrated in single gene mutant mice (Thomsen et al. 2009a,b). DAT knockout mice have compromised acquisition and maintenance of cocaine self-administration, but not food self-administration (Thomsen et al, 2009a).
