Discoveries Made On the Neurobiological Origins of Addiction

A recent article by Sharon Begley, published in Newsweek, revealed new information about the neurobiological changes that occur in the addict's brain and how these overall affect the cycle of addiction. Until now doctors and treatment professionals have only guessed at the complete neurobiological effects drugs have on the addict. But, through recent research, we can begin to see the exact areas that addiction effects in the brain. As Begley points out:

"A cascade of neurobiological changes accompanies the transition from voluntary to compulsive drug use, but one of the most important is this: cocaine, heroin, nicotine, amphetamines and other addictive drugs alter the brain's pleasure circuits."

Her article goes on to point out that however different substances of abuse make this change in slightly different ways, they all reduce the number of dopamine receptors. Dopamine is the brains own neurochemical that governs the body's reward system. And without it a person becomes less responsive to real life stimulators, like getting new job, a new promotion, having lasting relationships and in general functioning at a normal level. Not only do these changes begin to effect the persons life, but to get the same stimuli-response the addict got the first few times they used the drug, they have to use more of the drug.

So when a person stops taking a drug like heroin, cocaine or alcohol, they are completely deprived of the body's usual feel-good reward system and the addict feels an acute apathy or life-not-worth-living attitude, which makes for the reason most people who attempt to recover without effective and reliable treatment prone to consistent relapse.