Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2010 Jul-Aug;107(4):276-80.

Pharmacotherapeutic approach to the treatment of addiction: persistent challenges

Daniel S Zahm  1
Affiliations
Review

Pharmacotherapeutic approach to the treatment of addiction: persistent challenges

Daniel S Zahm. Mo Med. 2010 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

The sequence of pathophysiological responses to repeated self-administration of addictive compounds is briefly described, as are prospects for development of drugs for addiction and some of those currently available. It is noted that the varying vulnerability of individuals to addictions creates ethical concerns regarding the application of drug abuse pharmacotherapies as they become more efficacious. It is noted further that relapse remains the most persistent challenge in the treatment of addictions.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Di Chiara G, Imperato A. Drugs abused by humans preferentially increase synaptic dopamine concentrations in the mesolimbic system of freely moving rats. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1988;85:5274–5278. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Koob GF, Volkow ND. Neurocircuitry of Addiction. Neuropsychopharmacol. 2009;35:217–238. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Kalivas PW, Volkow ND. The neural basis of addiction: a pathology of motivation and choice. Am J Psychiatry. 2005;162:1403–1413. - PubMed
    1. Volkow ND, Li TK. Drugs and alcohol: treating and preventing abuse, addiction and their medical consequences. Pharmacol Ther. 2005;108:3–17. - PubMed
    1. Kalivas PW, Stewart J. Dopamine transmission in the initiation and expression of drug- and stress-induced sensitization of motor activity. Brain Res Brain Res Rev. 1991;16:223–244. - PubMed

MeSH terms