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Monday, October 19, 2009

The Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders.
Clinical Neuropharmacology - Vol 32 September/October 2009 pg. 269-276

Addiction is increasingly understood as a neurobiological illness where repetitive substance abuse corrupts the normal circuitry of rewarding and adaptive behaviors causing drug-induced neuroplastic changes.

The addictive process can be examined by looking at the biological basis of substance initiation to the progression of substance abuse to dependence to the enduring risk of relapse.

Understanding the neurobiology of the addictive process allows for a theoretical psychopharmacological approach to treating addictive disorders, one that takes into account biological interventions aimed at particular stages of the illness.


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