title: The impact of orbitofrontal dysfunction on cocaine addiction.
abstract: Cocaine addiction is characterized by poor judgment and maladaptive decision-making. Here we review evidence implicating the orbitofrontal cortex in such behavior. This evidence suggests that cocaine-induced changes in orbitofrontal cortex disrupt the representation of states and transition functions that form the basis of flexible and adaptive 'model-based' behavioral control. By impairing this function, cocaine exposure leads to an overemphasis on less flexible, maladaptive 'model-free' control systems. We propose that such an effect accounts for the complex pattern of maladaptive behaviors associated with cocaine addiction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lucantonio
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Stalnaker
authors.forename: Yavin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shaham
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Niv
authors.forename: Geoffrey
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schoenbaum
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology