Title |
Natural rewards, neuroplasticity, and non-drug addictions
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Published in |
Neuropharmacology, April 2011
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DOI | 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2011.03.010 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Christopher M. Olsen |
Abstract |
There is a high degree of overlap between brain regions involved in processing natural rewards and drugs of abuse. "Non-drug" or "behavioral" addictions have become increasingly documented in the clinic, and pathologies include compulsive activities such as shopping, eating, exercising, sexual behavior, and gambling. Like drug addiction, non-drug addictions manifest in symptoms including craving, impaired control over the behavior, tolerance, withdrawal, and high rates of relapse. These alterations in behavior suggest that plasticity may be occurring in brain regions associated with drug addiction. In this review, I summarize data demonstrating that exposure to non-drug rewards can alter neural plasticity in regions of the brain that are affected by drugs of abuse. Research suggests that there are several similarities between neuroplasticity induced by natural and drug rewards and that, depending on the reward, repeated exposure to natural rewards might induce neuroplasticity that either promotes or counteracts addictive behavior. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 3 | 16% |
Australia | 2 | 11% |
Canada | 2 | 11% |
Brazil | 2 | 11% |
Unknown | 10 | 53% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 14 | 74% |
Scientists | 4 | 21% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 1 | 5% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 5 | <1% |
Canada | 4 | <1% |
Spain | 3 | <1% |
United Kingdom | 3 | <1% |
Mexico | 2 | <1% |
Ethiopia | 1 | <1% |
Germany | 1 | <1% |
Portugal | 1 | <1% |
Iran, Islamic Republic of | 1 | <1% |
Other | 5 | <1% |
Unknown | 563 | 96% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Bachelor | 120 | 20% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 92 | 16% |
Student > Master | 84 | 14% |
Researcher | 69 | 12% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 33 | 6% |
Other | 109 | 19% |
Unknown | 82 | 14% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Psychology | 129 | 22% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 83 | 14% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 79 | 13% |
Neuroscience | 75 | 13% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 19 | 3% |
Other | 95 | 16% |
Unknown | 109 | 19% |