Drug addiction: a curable mental disorder?
1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA. jliu66@buffalo.edu.
Acta Pharmacologica Sinica
|November 2, 2018
Summary
Drug addiction is a complex brain disorder involving multiple neural systems. Targeting these systems offers promising pharmacological treatments, with gene modulation potentially offering a future cure.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Drug addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disorder.
- Neural networks, including reward, anti-reward, and central immune systems, are implicated in addiction.
- Pharmacological targeting of these brain systems shows promise for treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review pharmacological targets for drug addiction treatment.
- To discuss potential therapies including brain stimulation, behavioral treatments, and gene modulation.
Main Methods:
- Review of preclinical and clinical studies.
- Analysis of pharmacological targets within dopamine, glutamate, trace amine, anti-reward, and central immune systems.
Main Results:
- Identified key neurotransmitter systems and brain regions involved in addiction.
- Highlighted the potential of various therapeutic strategies.
Conclusions:
- Drug addiction is a complex disorder with intricate neural mechanisms.
- Pharmacological interventions targeting brain systems are promising.
- Gene modulation may offer a future cure for addiction.
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