Alcohol addiction: brain reward

A kind of (low-dose) dependence may also develop when alcohol is consumed daily, albeit in minor quantities. As a rule of thumb, alcohol always makes people dependent when consumed on a regular basis — no matter what the dose may be. Alcohol addiction comprises (1.) physical dependence including increased tolerance as well as the withdrawal syndrome and (2.) psychological dependence with an uncontrollable desire for permanent or intermittent alcohol consumption, reduced self-control as well as changes in behaviour, (s. tab. 28.1) Alcohol abuse includes addiction without actually being identical to it. Neither the brain s reward system (A. Herz et af, 1989) nor the addiction memory (X Boning, 1992) are stimulated by occasional alcohol consumption. Another explanation for this... 

Kleber HD, Weissman MM, Rounsaville BJ, et al Imipramine as treatment for depression in addicts. Arch Gen Psychiatry 40 649-633, 1983 Kleber HD, Riordan CE, Rounsaville BJ, et al Clonidine in outpatient detoxification from methadone maintenance. Arch Gen Psychiatry 42 391-394, 1983 Kleber HD, Topazian M, Gaspari J, et al Clonidine and naltrexone in the outpatient treatment of heroin withdrawal. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 13 1-17, 1987 Kornetsky C. Brain stimulation reward, morphine-induced stereotypy, and sensitization implications for abuse. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 27 777-786, 2004 Kosten TR, Kleber HD Buprenorphine detoxification from opioid dependence a pilot study. Life Sci 42 633-641, 1988... 

Dopamine is also an important component of the brain s reward system and is believed to play a role in drug addiction. Increased levels of dopamine have been associated with cocaine, amphetamine, and marijuana use, as well as alcohol and nicotine addiction, see also Neurotransmitters. 

Berridge KC, Robirrson TE. What is the role of dopamine in reward hedonic impact, reward learning or incentive salience Brain Res Rev 1998 28 309-69 Di Chiara G. A motivational learning hypothesis of the role of mesolimbic dopamine in compulsive drug use. J Psychopharmacol 1998 12 54-67 Dual Diagnosis. A series of articles in Addict Behav, 1998 vol. 23 717-946 Garbutt JC, West SL, Carey TS et al. Pharmacological treatment of alcohol dependence. JAMA 1999 281 1318-25... 

Alcohol, like all addictive drugs, increases the brain s production of dopamine, which sends a strong reinforcing signal of pleasure and reward. Peter Thanos and colleagues from BNL reported that alcohol stimulates the pleasurable effects of marijuana (Behav. Brain Res., September 2,2005). 

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