It's all about making new contacts: How being metabotropic and phasicity help D1-like receptors promote LTP in the PFC.

D1-like receptors have two important qualities, they are all metabotropic and they activate with phasic dopamine. After analyzing the molecular implications of each of these qualities separately and then combining them for the specific case of the prefrontal cortex, we propose a model that explains why long term potentiation in this cortical area depends on the amount of contact between D1-like receptors and dopamine. This simple model also explains why in order to promote long term potentiation, dopamine transporters should be scarce in the prefrontal cortex. Additionally, it explains why stimulants like methamphetamine could have such detrimental cognitive effects on regular substance consumers.