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[The neurobiology of psychostimulant addiction]
1Departamento de Fisiología Médica, Universidad de Sevilla. Facultad de Medicina, 41009 Sevilla, Spain. efespejo@us.es
Introduction And Development:
Psychostimulant drugs encompass amphetamines, natural alkaloids like cocaine, and methyl-xanthynes. These drugs induce a strong dependence, manifested as sensitization and tolerance at a neurobiological level. Sensitization is currently being studied experimentally, and it is made up of two stages: initial induction and consolidated expression. During induction, the mesocorticolimbic circuit along with dopamine and glutamate changes in the ventral tegmentum play a critical role. During expression, addictive habits are consolidated through changes in the cortico-striato-amygdaloid loop.
Conclusion:
All together leads to a consolidated addiction, considered as an anomalous learning process, along with a loss of control over drug taking.
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