title: Bifurcation model of drug dependence.
abstract: Chronic administration of narcotics produces alterations which persist for a long time following cessation of drug usage in a state of abstinence. The current model of drug dependence which is based on the narcotic-induced alterations of adenylatecyclase synthesis and activity cannot explain these long-term changes. The possible modification of this model suitable to explain the state of abstinence, is described. The modified model consists of two non-linear differential equations describing the dynamics of enzyme synthesis and enzyme-product interaction. Under certain conditions narcotics interconvert the regulatory system from 'normal' equilibrium to an 'abstinent' state in which the system can remain indefinitely, even in the absence of narcotics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53792, USA.
authors.forename: R Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Yukhananov
authors.forename: N V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Belotelov
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Vedushkin
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Zaitsev
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders