In cocaine users there is an increase in sensitivity towards negative emotions , and an effect that persists even when the habit has been abandoned. These are the conclusions of a study published in the journal Addiction Biology , which has analyzed the effect of this substance on different areas of the brain with functional magnetic resonance techniques.
The scientists, from the universities of Granada and CEU Cardenal Herrera (Valencia), compared the brain responses to images related to negative emotions in two groups: the first formed by cocaine addicts who had exceeded fifteen days of abstinence, and the second made up of non-consumers. The researchers observed a series of alterations in various regions of the prefrontal cortex that are involved in controlling behavior, as well as changes in the connectivity of these areas with other areas responsible for processing emotions, such as the limbic system, the anterior thalamus or tonsil.
These effects are associated with the greater tendency of cocaine addicts to depression and stress, as well as the lack of control before negative emotional states, such as anger or frustration. According to the scientists, identifying the brain areas involved in these processes is key to treating people who decide to stop using cocaine.
