Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2026
03:48
Restraint to Induce Stress in Mice and Rats
Published on: December 6, 2024
A role for brain stress systems in addiction
1Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. gkoob@scripps.edu
Neuron
|July 11, 2008
Summary
Brain stress and antistress systems are crucial in drug addiction, influencing compulsive drug seeking and relapse. Understanding these systems offers new therapeutic targets for addiction treatment and prevention.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Addiction Research
Background:
- Drug addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder linked to reward and stress brain region dysregulation.
- Activation of brain stress systems is hypothesized to drive drug seeking via negative reinforcement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of brain stress and antistress systems in drug dependence.
- To emphasize the neuropharmacological function of extrahypothalamic systems in the extended amygdala.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of neuropharmacological studies.
- Focus on brain stress systems: corticotropin-releasing factor, norepinephrine, orexin, vasopressin, dynorphin.
- Focus on brain antistress systems: neuropeptide Y, nociceptin.
Main Results:
- Brain stress and antistress systems are implicated in the transition to and maintenance of drug dependence.
- These systems, particularly within the extended amygdala, play a key role in addiction.
Conclusions:
- Understanding these systems provides novel therapeutic targets for addiction treatment and prevention.
- Insights into basic brain emotional circuitry organization and function are gained.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
Drug dependence, abuse, and addiction are complex phenomena that can precipitate various abnormal states. Physical dependence refers to a state of pharmacological adaptation to a drug. This adaptation often results in tolerance—a reduced response to the drug after repeated administrations. When the drug use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur due to the body's need to readjust from the pharmacologically induced imbalance. However, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms do not necessarily...
01:37Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis
The response to stress—be it physical or psychological, acute or chronic—involves activation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is part of the neuroendocrine system because it involves both neuronal and hormonal communication. Its function is to regulate homeostatic systems—metabolic, cardiovascular, and immune—providing the necessary means to respond to a stressor.
01:30Stress and Mental Health
Chronic stress profoundly affects mental health, significantly influencing mood, behavior, and overall quality of life. Research closely links chronic stress with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Ongoing exposure to stress can lead to physiological and psychological changes, initiating a cycle of emotional distress and maladaptive coping mechanisms.
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
01:24Physiological Foundation of Stress
Stress triggers a coordinated physiological response involving the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This dual activation ensures that the body is prepared for both immediate and prolonged stress management. The process begins with the perception of a stressor. This initial phase activates the SNS, leading to the rapid release of adrenaline (epinephrine) from the adrenal glands.
Role of the Sympathetic Nervous System
Adrenaline triggers the...
Role of the Sympathetic Nervous System
Adrenaline triggers the...
01:27CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
Ethanol, a clear colorless alcohol, has been consumed by humans for millennia, but its effects on the body are far from benign. At lower doses, it induces decreased inhibitions and loquaciousness, leading to its social appeal. However, it can cause severe consequences at higher doses, such as coma and respiratory depression, due to its zero-order elimination kinetics. Chronic ethanol abuse wreaks havoc on multiple organ systems, particularly the CNS and the liver. Abrupt cessation of ethanol...
01:20Psychological Responses to Stress
Psychological responses to stress encompass the various cognitive and emotional reactions individuals experience when faced with challenging or threatening situations, such as a job loss. Prolonged exposure to stressors can disturb emotional balance, increasing negative emotions (e.g., anxiety and sadness) and diminishing positive emotions (e.g., joy and satisfaction). These persistent emotional shifts are associated with an increased risk of both physical illness and mental health issues, such...