Cocaine alters brain cell shape

By Ilana Seager

“Adolescents are highly at risk for abusing drugs. Now, Yale researchers may have a better understanding as to why. A new study published this week in the journal of the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science builds on previous research which claimed that cocaine changes the shape of brain cells. They discovered that learning ability and sensitivity to cocaine may indeed determined by the shape of brain cells, and this, mental health workers say, could explain why adolescents have such a hard time dealing with drugs.”

http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/scitech-news/2009/09/09/cocaine-alters-brain-cell-shape/