DEA - Addiction Medicine Essentials Course- AOA/AOAAM-Neurobiology of Addictions

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video, Dr. Gregory Landy provides a presentation on the neurobiology of addiction. He begins by defining addiction as a compulsion to seek and take drugs, leading to loss of control and negative emotional states when access to the drug is prevented. Addiction is characterized as a relapsing disorder rooted in impulsivity and compulsivity. Dr. Landy credits Dr. Stephen Wyatt for assembling the slide set. He explains that addiction is a complex bio-behavioral paradigm that begins with a cue, triggering a cascade of neurobiological events. This includes the release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, leading to a reward and reinforcing the addiction. Dr. Landy discusses the role of genetics and environmental factors in causing addiction, emphasizing the need for ongoing research in this area. He explains how drugs of abuse affect various neurotransmitters, including dopamine, GABA, and opioids. He also highlights imaging studies that show changes in brain metabolism and D2 receptors in addiction. Dr. Landy examines the impact of addiction on neurocircuitry, highlighting the role of the prefrontal cortex and amygdala. He discusses the stages of the addiction cycle, from intoxication to preoccupation and withdrawal, and how they are associated with specific neurobiological changes. Dr. Landy explains that addiction is a developmental disease beginning in adolescence, and he discusses the mechanism of action of medications used to treat opioid use disorders. He emphasizes that addiction can be treated, and shares images showing partial recovery of brain dopamine transporters in methamphetamine abusers after extended periods of abstinence. The video concludes with resources for further learning on addiction medicine.

Keywords

neurobiology of addiction

compulsion

relapsing disorder

dopamine release

drugs of abuse

neurocircuitry impact

addiction cycle stages

treatment options