Mieke Schulte

The effect of N-acetylcysteine treatment on brain glutamate concentrations in nicotine dependence

Traditionally, research into the neurobiological substrate of drug addiction has focused on the mesolimbic dopamine reward circuitry. However, recent literature has highlighted the importance of the excitatory amino acid glutamate in drug addiction, especially its role in the continuation of and relapse into substance abuse. A promising glutamatergic drug for the treatment of substance use disorders is N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an amino acid cystine prodrug. This study investigates the effect of N-acetylcysteine treatment on brain glutamate concentrations in nicotine dependence, and associations with neurocognitive and clinical measures.