[The neurobiology of psychostimulant addiction].
BACKGROUND
Psychostimulant drugs encompass amphetamines, natural alkaloids like cocaine, and methyl-xanthynes. These drugs induce a strong dependence, manifested as sensitization and tolerance at a neurobiological level. Sensitization is currently being studied experimentally, and it is made up of two stages: initial induction and consolidated expression. During induction, the mesocorticolimbic circuit along with dopamine and glutamate changes in the ventral tegmentum play a critical role. During expression, addictive habits are consolidated through changes in the cortico-striato-amygdaloid loop.


CONCLUSIONS
All together leads to a consolidated addiction, considered as an anomalous learning process, along with a loss of control over drug taking.
Fernández-Espejo
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Departamento de Fisiología Médica, Universidad de Sevilla. Facultad de Medicina, 41009 Sevilla, Spain. efespejo@us.es
D000662:Amphetamines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D016739:Behavior, Addictive; D002110:Caffeine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003042:Cocaine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D014970:Xanthines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
D000662:Amphetamines; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D014970:Xanthines; C008514:methylxanthine; D002110:Caffeine; D003042:Cocaine; D004298:Dopamine