How does cocaine affect dopamine?

Cocaine dramatically increases dopamine levels very quickly. When someone uses cocaine—by snorting, smoking, or injecting—the dopamine levels rise almost instantly to a high peak. This intense and rapid increase is closely tied to the feeling of euphoria and increased alertness that users experience. Such a short interval between taking cocaine and the peak in dopamine makes other activities, which require a longer time to produce pleasure, less appealing.

The steep rise in dopamine peaks from cocaine use is followed by a significant drop below the normal baseline once the drug's effects wear off. This drop triggers intense cravings for more of the drug to regain the high, creating a harmful cycle of addiction. Over time, consecutive uses of cocaine result in lower peaks of dopamine, making it increasingly difficult to reach the initial levels of pleasure experienced during the first uses of cocaine 1.