The Neurobiology of Substance Abuse

The Program ...

Students in the program have the opportunity to participate in a series of workshops on the neurobiology of substance abuse and to conduct laboratory research under the guidance of faculty mentors.

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The Workshop Series

Provides an in-depth exposure to specific topics of neuroscience relevant to substance abuse.
Promotes scientific interactions with prominent scientists active in substance abuse research.

In the workshop series the students discuss scientific articles on hot topics in drug abuse. Each workshop consists of an introductory lecture, a series of study sessions, a discussion and a seminar, given by an invited speaker.

A sample of workshop topics:

Functional Anatomy of Brain Reward Pathways.    Coordinators: Profs. J.Fallon and J.Marshall. Although each drug of abuse has distinctive effects and mechanisms of action, virtually all such drugs affect, either directly or indirectly, the mesolimbic dopamine system. Activation of this system appears therefore to be a common element in drug-seeking behavior. This workshop focuses on recent scientific advances on the functional neuroanatomy of dopamine, ventral striatum, and related limbic system structures involved in reward, reinforcement and addiction. Both human and animal studies are presented.

Molecular and Cellular Basis of Drug Addiction.    Coordinator: Prof. K. Sumikawa. Drug addiction results from molecular and cellular changes within specific neurons of the brain, caused by recurrent exposure to a drug of abuse. These adaptations underlie the complex behavioral modifications that are typical of the addicted state. Current research aims at understanding how specific behavioral aspects of the addicted state, such as drug craving and relapse, relate to the molecular and cellular changes produced by drug use.

The Role of Learning and Memory in Drug Addiction.    Coordinators: Profs. L. Cahill and J. Marshall. This workshop considers the processes of acquiring drug-taking habits, and addiction, from the perspectives of learning theory and the neurobiology of learning and memory. Particular emphasis is placed on functional imaging studies of the human brain.

Animal Models of Drug Addiction.    Coordinators: Profs. J. Belluzzi and Q.-Y. Zhou. Animal models contribute in essential ways to the biological study of addiction, yet no animal model embodies all the elements of the addicted state. This workshop illustrates the strength and weaknesses of these models, and explores the challenges of creating new ones, particularly those based on the genetic manipulation of experimental animals (from Drosophila to mice).

Life Span Development and Drug Abuse: Critical Time Periods in the Development of Addiction.    Coordinators: Prof. L. Jamner and F. Leslie. In humans, prenatal or neonatal exposure to drugs of abuse can produce prolonged deficits in the offspring, which are the consequences of alterations in neuronal growth and function. Furthermore, there are periods of development, such as adolescence, that are critical to the acquisition of drug preference and addiction. This workshop scrutinizes recent animal and human studies on the differential impact of abused drugs on the developing individual.

The Pharmacology of Abused Substances.    Coordinator: Prof. D. Piomelli. This workshop examines the pharmacology of specific classes of abused drugs, with particular attention to their molecular and cellular mechanisms of action. Each workshop will be devoted to a single class of drugs, chosen on a rotational basis from a list that includes psychostimulants (cocaine, amphetamines), the opiates, and marijuana.

Challenges in the Pharmacotherapy of Substance Abuse.    Coordinators: Profs. D.Piomelli and L.Stein. The therapy of drug abuse is a fundamental area of pharmacological research that has traditionally received little attention from the pharmaceutical industry. This attitude may change, however, as the nature of drug addiction as a chronic brain disease becomes more firmly established. This workshop reviews current pharmacological treatments of drug abuse, and offer a venue for critical discussions on future advances.

The Interaction of Abused Substances with non-Neural Systems.    Coordinators: Profs. S.Duckles and D.Krause. Through their direct effects on the CNS, drugs of abuse can greatly influence other organs and tissues of the body. Conversely, the CNS may be affected by the actions of drugs on peripheral systems. This workshop provides selected examples of these interactions, with particular emphasis on drug effects on the cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive and immune systems.