This very well done Flash Media presentation primarily depicts how drugs interact with dopamine neurotransmitters to demonstrate the brain's reward pathway. The University of Utah has done a wonderful job on this interactive piece and performs a valuable public service by making this kind of well explained science available and understandable.

The simplified mechanisms of drug action presented here are just a small part of the story. When drugs enter the body they elicit very complex effects in many different regions of the brain. Often they interact with many different types of neurotransmitters and may bind with a variety of receptor types in a variety of different locations. For example, THC in cannabis can bind with cannabinoid receptors located on the presynaptic and/or postsynaptic cell in a synapse.

Where applicable, this presentation primarily depicts how drugs interact with dopamine neurotransmitters because this website focuses on the brain's reward pathway. Mouse Party is designed to provide a small glimpse into the chemical interactions at the synaptic level that cause the drug user to feel 'high'.

Source: The University of Utah, Genetic Science Learning Center:
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/units/addiction/drugs/mouse.cfm