Drugs, Addiction, and the Brain
When drugs are taken repeatedly their effects often change. Most people are aware that some effects get smaller and smaller – a phenomenon known as tolerance. However, the repeated use of drugs of abuse can also lead to a very different kind of change; some drug effects get bigger and bigger – a phenomenon known as sensitization. Brain regions that are normally involved in regulating motivated behavior are among those that can undergo sensitization, and as these brain systems become hypersensitive this can lead to a pathological increase in the desire (motivation) to take drugs. In this talk, Dr. Terry E. Robinson will focus on the ways drug abuse can change the brain, how this influences behavioral and psychological function, and how such changes may contribute to the transition from mere drug use to addiction.
Dr. Terry E. Robinson is the Elliot S. Valenstein Distinguished University Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the U-M Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, and is known internationally for his research concerning the persistent behavioral and neurobiological consequences of repeated psychostimulant drug use, and the implications of these for addiction and relapse.
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