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The research into cocaine by Mark Gold of the Florida-based Brain Institute has found that changes in the number and functioning of dopamine receptors and transporters in the brain persisted for many months after abstinence. However, Gold says, there is ongoing research into the ability of brain cells to recover from damage caused by drugs. And many recovering addicts can certainly learn to live happy, productive lives drug-free. Therefore, the brain must possess some ability to return to a state that allows normal experience of pleasure. (If it was an inability to experience pleasure normally -- e.g., chronic depression -- that drove the person to drug use in the first place, of course, quitting substance use may not be enough to rectify this co-existing problem. The person might need treatment with antidepressants or other help.) This is an area of important ongoing research.
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