Role of Electrical Synapses in Dopamine Transmission in the Brain

Authors

Josh Nelson, Brigham Young University
Seth Stapley, Brigham Young University
Scott Steffensen, Brigham Young University

Keywords

drug additction, electrical synapses, dopamine transmission

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Psychology

Abstract

Drug addiction has long been a major detriment to society. Its pervasive effects can tear apart the lives of addicted individuals. Many of these individuals go without seeking professional help. In 2015, 22.7 million Americans (8.6 percent) needed treatment for a problem related to drugs or alcohol, but only about 2.5 million people (0.9 percent) received treatment at a specialty facility. This may be due to inadequate treatment methods and therapies in use by professionals. The goal of this project is to better understand the mechanism of dopamine (DA) transmission in the brain in order to develop more effective treatment methods for addiction.

Recommended Citation

Nelson, Josh; Stapley, Seth; and Steffensen, Scott (2019) "Role of Electrical Synapses in Dopamine Transmission in the Brain," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2019: Iss. 2019, Article 45.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2019/iss2019/45