The direct link between adult hippocampal neurogenesis and mouse’s enhanced vulnerability to drug addiction

Abstract

Drug addiction has long been a problem in human history, causing a series of physiological and mental issues. Among them, cocaine is known for its relatively strong damage to the human body, and many studies have been done on its addictive features. Throughout the past decade, researchers have been perpetually searching for ways to improve the treatment for drug addiction, especially cocaine addiction. By testing the effect of reduced adult hippocampal neurogenesis on mice, researchers in previous studies have found that there exists either a direct or indirect relationship between adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) and cocaine addiction. This article examines previous studies that used cocaine to test the relationship between reduced AHN and the vulnerability to addiction in mice and compares cocaine with other types of strong drugs to analyze whether the same relationship with AHN exists for those drugs as well.