Neuroscience and Substance Abuse

The Society for Neuroscience issued a press release discussing a new finding in the science of understanding substance abuse.  According to Dr. Frenois of Université Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2 (Sciences de la Vie, de l'Homme, de la Santé) memories of uncomfortable drug withdrawal can cause activation of the same brain circuits that are activated during drug withdrawal itself.  In other words, the mere act of remembering withdrawal can cause some of the same physiological anomalies that occur during the actual withdrawal. 

In this post, I review the outcome and implications of the Frenois study, the role of two drugs marketed in the US for treatment of substance abuse, and discuss the abstience-versus-moderation controversy in the substance abuse treatment community.  Read the rest at The Rest of the Story.