Introduction Drug use disorders involve a number of factors including genetic and environmentally influenced predispositions, the actions of the drugs themselves, the immediate environment, and the neurobiological mechanisms that promote and support drug actions and addiction. This chapter deals mostly…
Introduction A comprehensive understanding of the underlying neurobiology of alcohol and other drug use will likely prove essential in developing more effective prevention, early intervention, and treatment strategies. Ethical limitations prevent the use of many of the techniques developed to…
What Is Metabolomics? Metabolomics is the newest addition to the “omics” science. An “omics” has been defined as a neologism referring to a holistic view on biologic macromolecules, such as in genomics or proteomics. Genomics aims to understand the structure…
Introduction Addictions are a constellation of complex and chronic illnesses that affect multiple domains in a patient’s life, primarily for the worst. Nosologically, they are defined by use of an addictive agent and effects, rather than process, in contrast to…
Introduction Genetic influences on addictive substance use vary across developmental stages of life. When an individual initiates substance use (i.e., experiments with drugs), environmental factors have a greater impact on his or her substance use patterns. Access to drugs, peer…
Pain not only hurts. Pain can also lead to anxiety and depression, and patients with anxiety and depression experience pain more strongly and are more likely to develop chronic pain. Pain can impair cognitive function, and cognitive processes can modulate…
Introduction Amphetamine (AMPH) and AMPH-type psychostimulants (e.g., methamphetamine, MDMA) are the second most widely abused illicit drug worldwide. Prescription psychostimulants like d -AMPH (Adderall) and methylphenidate (Ritalin) remain widely prescribed for disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Because…
Overview of Striatal Circuits The striatum is a major brain nuclei in the basal ganglia (BG) system. The BG consists of set of corticobasal ganglia-cortical loops, which are a series of parallel projection loops that convey limbic, associative, and sensorimotor…
Introduction Addiction to drugs of abuse is a chronically relapsing disorder characterized by a compulsion to take the drug, loss of control of intake, and the development of a negative emotional state when drug access is withheld. Initiation of drug…
Acknowledgments Dr. Leggio’s work is supported by National Institutes of Health (NIH) intramural funding ZIA-AA000218 ( Section on Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology ), and jointly supported by the Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research of the National Institute on…