And they were given the same access to the same two types of drug laced bottles. Like pigeons pressing a pleasure lever, they were relentless, until their bodies and brains were overcome, and they died.īut Alexander wondered: is this about the drug or might it be related to the setting they were in? To test his hypothesis, he put rats in “rat parks,” where they were among others and free to roam and play, to socialize and to have sex. 1 Researchers had already proved that when rats were placed in a cage, all alone, with no other community of rats, and offered two water bottles-one filled with water and the other with heroin or cocaine-the rats would repetitively drink from the drug-laced bottles until they all overdosed and died. To stand a chance beating the opioid and other drug epidemics we have, we will be far better equipped if we follow his lead.Īlexander’s experiments, in the 1970s, have come to be called the “Rat Park. That a person, or animal in his studies, is an active ingredient in their interaction with a drug. We owe to American psychologist, Dr Bruce Alexander, the understanding that addiction is about far more than any drug. Brain in Recovery (03:55)ĭuring recovery addicts retrain the brain to seek rewards in healthy ways, including supportive interpersonal relationships and successful work performance.Dr Sederer is Adjunct Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Distinguished Psychiatrist Advisor to the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) and Director, Columbia Psychiatry Media. Recovering addicts learn that addiction is a disease this helps them overcome a sense of shame. Most addictive problems are reversible or reducible. Is the brain of the addict fundamentally different from that of the non-addict? What role do genetics and the environment play in the development of addictions? Risk Factors for Alcoholism (06:08)Ī landmark study investigating risk factors for alcoholism points to a combination of biological and environmental factors. Desired states activate the amygdala, a brain region crucial to evaluating emotionally significant events. Researchers investigate the role of emotional memory in addiction. What leads to drug and alcohol relapse? A brain researcher studies PET scans to identify the brain mechanisms that lead to relapse. The threat of relapse is real: 80 percent of those who quit go back to drug-seeking behaviors. Relapse (03:06)ĭrugs affect neurotransmitters other than dopamine, triggering a vicious cycle of use and abuse. The pleasure center's control mechanism seeks to restore homeostasis, which leads to cravings. Brain's Pleasure Circuits (04:55)Īddictive substances affect the brain's pleasure circuitry by depleting levels of dopamine. Hijacked Brain (06:11)ĭrugs and alcohol make long-term changes in brain functioning that lead to extreme, destructive behaviors and loss of control. The neurotransmitter dopamine, for example, is released and the brain adapts. Dopamine (04:12)Ĭommon mechanisms in the brain are triggered by all addictive substances. Pinpointing how drugs activate specific brain circuits can help researchers develop medications to eliminate drug craving. Neuroscientists take pictures of a cocaine user's brain. How and why does addiction occur? Former addicts give testimony to the power of addictive substances and their destructive effects on motivation and behavior. Addiction and Behavior (02:56) FREE PREVIEW
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