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Mientras que la heroína se une a los receptores de opiáceos del cerebro, como los receptores μ, y por lo tanto imita la acción de las endorfinas del cerebro, la cocaína, una vez ha producido su efecto, impide la reabsorción de la dopamina (y también de la serotonina) de la sinapsis neuronal.
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In contrast to heroin addiction, which can be treated with agonists such as methadone or antagonists such as naltrexone, there are currently no medical treatments available for cocaine addiction. The reason for this would appear to be the mechanism of action through which cocaine exerts its effects on the brain neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. Whereas heroin binds to brain opioid receptors, such as the mu receptors, and therefore mimics the action of the brain’s own endorphins, cocaine inhibits the reabsorption of dopamine (and indeed serotonin) from the neuronal synapse once it has had its effect, leading to a build-up of the transmitter, thus prolonging and strengthening its effect.
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