If a recovering opioid user is exposed to drug paraphernalia, which consequence follows regarding their brain's reward circuitry?

💡 Explanation

Exposure to drug paraphernalia triggers a conditioned response, increasing dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens, because the brain associates these cues with the anticipated drug reward, therefore intensifying craving rather than reducing receptor sensitivity or altering endorphin production globally. Glutamate decreases chronically, not acutely.

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