Addiction and the Role of Dopamine

Addiction and the Role of Dopamine

Everyone has their own addictions. Some of these addictions can be dangerous, like drugs, while other addictions can actually be beneficial like exercising. Nevertheless, addiction, even if it is to different degrees, is shared among human beings, so it is vital that it is studied. Addiction to not just drugs or other harmful things, but addiction to everyday tasks such as watching television or playing games all have the same thing in common. It all ties back to dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in motivation and reward.

In an article in the New York Times, A General in the Drug War, Dr. Nora D. Volkow claims that all addictive substances send dopamine to nucleus accumbens, an area in the brain that is the main rewarding center (Zuger). This information implies that if we are able to better understand the dopamine system, then we will be help many who want to get over their addictions but physically or psychologically cannot. Dr. Volkow continues to discuss how different drugs affect dopamine levels in different ways. For example, Amphetamines induces cells to increase dopamine levels, cocaine blocks the reuptake of dopamine, alcohol and narcotics suppresses cells that inhibit the release of dopamine (Zuger). Regardless of the drug, they all end up increasing dopamine levels. This means that the high that many drug users experience is due to the surge of dopamine. Furthermore, in the article it is also states that Dr. Volkow’s research and the research of others show that in addicts, who have successfully detoxed and clean, their dopamine circuits remain affected (Zuger). This means that activities or substances that increase dopamine levels in normal amounts may not be noticeable in these individuals. This may explain why it is difficult for individuals to stay clean and away from drugs when the cravings are so strong. One common addiction that many individuals face is the usage of pain killers. Dr. Volkow proposes that pain killers should slowly dribble dopamine, instead of leading to a large increase in dopamine levels (Zuger). Other pain relief methods, such as skin patches, also show promise in minimizing the addictive behavior of the drugs. Regardless, there still needs to be more research done and we need to better understand the dopamine system in order to help those who are currently addicted.

One of the researchers that is studying the dopamine system is Dr. Stephan Steidl from Loyola University Chicago, who presented in one of the seminars about the research that is doing. Having being involved with this lab, I have strong understanding of what he is studying and how he is going about his research. In Dr. Steidl’s lab, we are trying to better understand how reward predictive cues activate the dopamine system in rats. The other students and I are investigating the role of various inputs from the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) to the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a region of the brain with high levels of dopamine neurons, on reward seeking behavior. Furthermore, we are looking at how pharmacological manipulations, which reduce reward seeking behavior, are not inducing any non-specific motor impairments. Through all of this, the data we are collecting will help us identify the pathway and the different receptor subtypes through which drug predictive cues may lead to drug seeking behavior.

Through this experience, I learned that science is not only developing, but that it is also changing through new discoveries every day. Through my research, I was astonished at how complex the dopamine system is. By manipulating the PPTg pathway, we are able to examine the changes in the behavior of the rats, specifically the reward seeking behavior. There are countless pathways and factors that must be considered in the activation of the dopamine system. This experience is very rewarding as despite the countless hours of running experiments on rats, I know that this work is important in having a clinical application one day in the hopes of helping individuals who have addictions. Dr. Stephan Steidl’s work leads to a better understanding of how psychological drugs affect the dopamine system.

The research that Dr. Stephan Steidl is doing in trying to better understand the dopamine system and the findings of Dr. Volkow all point to the complexity and the importance of studying the dopamine system. The findings can one day help individuals in a clinical setting with addictions that might be harmful to them.

Works Cited

Breaking Addiction. Digital image. Relevant Media Group, n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2016. <http://cdn1.relevantmediagroup.com/sites/default/files/styles/magazine_article_header/public/field/image/Breaking_Addiction_1139x541.jpg?itok=1Yoa1y6O>.

Pain Relief Patches. Digital image. Wisdom and Health. Imbue, n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2016. <http://blog.wisdomandhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/package_front_4pack150dpi__52573-1345667852-1280-1280.jpg>.

Rat experiment. Digital image. Cell Surface Stories. Pearson Prentice Hall, n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2016. <http://www.phschool.com/science/science_news/articles/images/cell_surface_stories.jpg>.

Synapse Neurotransmitter. Digital image. Cobbers on the Brain. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2016. <http://cobbersonthebrain.areavoices.com/files/2011/10/synapse_neurotransmitter.jpg>.

Types of Behavior Addictions. Digital image. The Health Coach. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2016. <http://thehealthcoach1.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Types-behavior-addictions-Hamrah.jpg>.

Zuger, Abigail. "A General in the Drug War." The New York Times. The New York Times, 13 June 2011. Web. 17 Oct. 2016.