Figure 1.

Pharmacokinetics of cocaine and methamphetamine in the human brain and relationship to the drug-induced “high.” (a) Axial brain images of the distribution of [¹¹C]cocaine and [¹¹C]methamphetamine at different times (minutes) after their administration. (b) Time activity curves for the concentration of [¹¹C]cocaine and [¹¹C]methamphetamine in striatum alongside the temporal course for the “high” experienced after intravenous administration of these drugs. Modified from References 20 and 21. Note that the fast brain uptake of these drugs corresponds with the temporal course of the “high,” which suggests that the “high” is associated with the “rate of dopamine increases.”