Nora D. Volkow|Michael Michaelides|Rubén Baler
The Neuroscience of Drug Reward and Addiction
National Institute on Drug Abuse|National Institutes of Health|National Institute on Drug Abuse|National Institutes of Health|National Institute on Drug Abuse|National Institutes of Health
drug consumption driven drugs pharmacological effects experienced rewarding influenced genetic developmental psychosocial factors mediate drug accessibility norms social support systems lack thereof reinforcing effects drugs mostly depend dopamine signaling nucleus accumbens chronic drug exposure triggers glutamatergicmediated neuroadaptations dopamine striatothalamocortical predominantly prefrontal cortical regions including orbitofrontal cortex anterior cingulate cortex limbic pathways amygdala hippocampus vulnerable individuals result addiction parallel changes extended amygdala result negative emotional states perpetuate drug taking attempt temporarily alleviate counterintuitively addicted person actual drug consumption associated attenuated dopamine increase brain reward regions might contribute drugtaking behavior compensate difference magnitude expected reward triggered conditioning drug cues actual experience combined effects result enhanced motivation seek drug energized dopamine increases triggered drug cues impaired prefrontal topdown selfregulation favors compulsive drugtaking backdrop negative emotionality enhanced interoceptive awareness drug hunger treatment interventions intended reverse neuroadaptations show promise therapeutic approaches addiction