The Neurobiology of Addiction. New Vistas

Description

• Brings together world class researchers to discuss and report the latest developments in our understanding of addiction to legal and illegal drugs, as well as behavioural addictions such as gambling and eating
• Demonstrates how addictions are manifested in the brain, the brain regions involved, and the connection between addiction, motivation and emotion, and reward
• Reports on cutting edge research using functional imaging and molecular techniques

In the past two decades, there have been astonishing advances in our understanding of the neurobiological basis and nature of drug addiction. We now know the initial molecular sites of action, at identified receptors, of virtually all of the major drugs of abuse including cocaine, heroin, and amphetamine, as well as legal drugs such as nicotine and alcohol. We also understand the main components of a 'reward system' and its connections to major brain regions involved in motivation and emotion, such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex.

The Neurobiology of Addiction describes the latest advances in our understanding of addiction. It brings together world class researchers to debate the nature and extent of addiction, as well as its causes, consequences, and treatment. The focus of the book is on the brain processes underlying addiction, in terms of neural systems, neurochemical basis, and molecular changes. Several types of addiction are discussed ranging from illicit drugs - cocaine, amphetamine, and heroin to legal drugs - alcohol and nicotine. In addition, it explores increasingly common behavioural addictions such as gambling and obesity. Included are chapters on vulnerability to addiction, genetic factors, opponent motivational processes, animal models, relapse, cognitive deficits associated with drug abuse, new pharmacological treatments, and current controversies concerning different neuropsychological theories of addiction. Throughout, it reports on cutting edge research using brain imaging, and state of the art molecular methodology.

The book will make fascinating reading for students and teachers in the field of neuroscience, pharmacology and psychology, as well as experts in the field.

Readership: Students and researchers in neuroscience, addiction studies, psychiatry, and clinical psychology

Table of contents

T. W. Robbins, B. J. Everitt and D. J. Nutt: Introduction. The neurobiology of drug addiction: new vistas
G. F. Koob and M. Le Moal: Neurobiological mechanisms for opponent motivational processes in addiction
B. J. Everitt, D. Belin, D. Economidou, Y. Pelloux, J. W. Dalley and T. W. Robbins: Neural mechanisms underlying the vulnerability to develop compulsive drug-seeking habits and addiction
T. E. Robinson and K. C. Berridge: The incentive sensitization theory of addiction: some current issues
J. Stewart: Psychological and neural mechanisms of relapse
A. Markou: Neurobiology of nicotine dependence
D. N. Stephens and T. Duka: Cognitive and emotional consequences of binge drinking: role of amygdala and prefrontal cortex
M. N. Potenza: The neurobiology of pathological gambling and drug addiction: an overview and new findings
N. D. Volkow, G.-J. Wang, J. S. Fowler and F. Telang: Overlapping neuronal circuits in addiction and obesity: evidence of systems pathology
J. C. Crabbe: Neurogenetic studies of alcohol addiction
C. C. Y. Wong and G. Schumann: Genetics of addictions: strategies for addressing heterogeneity and polygenicity of substance use disorders
M. A. Nader, P. W. Czoty, R. W. Gould and N. V. Riddick: Positron emission tomography imaging studies of dopamine receptors in primate models of addiction
H. S. Crombag, J. M. Bossert, E. Koya and Y. Shaham: Context-induced relapse to drug seeking: a review
E. J. Nestler: Transcriptional mechanisms of addiction: role of changes in FosB
T. J. R. Beveridge, K. E. Gill, C. A. Hanlon and L. J. Porrino: Parallel studies of cocaine-related neural and cognitive impairment in humans and monkeys
H. Garavan, J. N. Kaufman and R. Hester: Acute effects of cocaine on the neurobiology of cognitive control
C. P. O'Brien: Evidence-based treatments of addiction