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Brain Sciences
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Understanding the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Alcohol, Drugs, and Addictive...
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Understanding the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Alcohol, Drugs, and Addictive Behaviors

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Psychiatric Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2021) | Viewed by 10761

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Mera S. Barr

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Otsuka Canada Pharmaceutical Inc., Saint-Laurent, QC, Canada
Interests: brain stimulation; neuroimaging; psychiatric disorder; neurophysiology; brain stimulation; psychotic disorders; mood disorders; sub-stance-use disorders
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Substance use disorders (SUDs) have long been considered a significant public health problem. Moreover, the emergence of addictive behaviors such as gaming, gambling, shopping, and pornography adds to this global burden. Perhaps of greatest concern is that the impact of COVID-19 on these addictions have yet to be determined. Despite this, many persons suffering from SUDs and addictive behaviors do not seek treatment or do not remain in treatment for many reasons, including stigma, untreated co-morbidity, lack of access, and/or lack of efficacy.

SUDs and addictive behaviors are chronic and relapsing brain diseases with genetic, neurodevelopmental, and sociocultural contributors. While less is known of addictive behaviors, drugs of abuse are mediated by the brain reward circuitry and act on D1 and D2 receptors via the striatal and corticostriatal pathways, respectively. Repeated exposure to drugs trigger neuroplastic changes that may be measured from the cell to the network level. Shared and overlapping pathophysiology is observed with severe mental illness and may thus underlie the high prevalence of co-morbidity. It is therefore possible that treatments for severe mental illness (or vice versa) may be effective for SUDs. Notwithstanding, there is an urgent need for a greater understanding of the pathophysiology of SUDs and addictive behaviors to optimize innovative and effective treatments for many of those suffering now and after COVID-19.  

This Special Issue on “Understanding the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Alcohol, Drugs, and Addictive Behaviors” welcomes meta-analyses, systematic and scoping reviews or opinions on addiction and its treatment. Investigations on genetic liability and the measure of secondary phenotypes are invited, including dimensional or machine learning approaches to disease characteristics. Laboratory and randomized clinical trials reporting on biomarker exploration through the use of innovative neuroimaging, neuromodulation, and/or in combination with pharmacotherapies are encouraged. Finally, original work in populations with co-morbid severe mental illnesses will also be of special interest.

Prof. Dr. Mera S Barr
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • addiction
  • behavioural addiction (e.g., gambling, gaming and shopping, etc.,)
  • biomarkers
  • neuroimaging
  • neuromodulation
  • treatment

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

15 pages, 495 KiB  
Review
Neurobiology of the Orexin System and Its Potential Role in the Regulation of Hedonic Tone
by Martin A. Katzman and Matthew P. Katzman
Brain Sci. 2022, 12(2), 150; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12020150 - 24 Jan 2022
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 6794
Abstract
Orexin peptides comprise two neuropeptides, orexin A and orexin B, that bind two G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), orexin receptor 1 (OXR1) and orexin receptor 2 (OXR2). Although cell bodies that produce orexin peptides are localized in a small area comprising the lateral hypothalamus [...] Read more.
Orexin peptides comprise two neuropeptides, orexin A and orexin B, that bind two G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), orexin receptor 1 (OXR1) and orexin receptor 2 (OXR2). Although cell bodies that produce orexin peptides are localized in a small area comprising the lateral hypothalamus and adjacent regions, orexin-containing fibres project throughout the neuraxis. Although orexins were initially described as peptides that regulate feeding behaviour, research has shown that orexins are involved in diverse functions that range from the modulation of autonomic functions to higher cognitive functions, including reward-seeking, behaviour, attention, cognition, and mood. Furthermore, disruption in orexin signalling has been shown in mood disorders that are associated with low hedonic tone or anhedonia, including depression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and addiction. Notably, projections of orexin neurons overlap circuits involved in the modulation of hedonic tone. Evidence shows that orexins may potentiate hedonic behaviours by increasing the feeling of pleasure or reward to various signalling, whereas dysregulation of orexin signalling may underlie low hedonic tone or anhedonia. Further, orexin appears to play a key role in regulating behaviours in motivationally charged situations, such as food-seeking during hunger, or drug-seeking during withdrawal. Therefore, it would be expected that dysregulation of orexin expression or signalling is associated with changes in hedonic tone. Further studies investigating this association are warranted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Alcohol, Drugs, and Addictive Behaviors)
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17 pages, 361 KiB  
Review
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Comorbid Major Depressive Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder
by Victor M. Tang, Bernard Le Foll, Daniel M. Blumberger and Daphne Voineskos
Brain Sci. 2022, 12(1), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12010048 - 30 Dec 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3565
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are leading causes of disability, and patients are frequently affected by both conditions. This comorbidity is known to confer worse outcomes and greater illness severity. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation [...] Read more.
Major depressive disorder (MDD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are leading causes of disability, and patients are frequently affected by both conditions. This comorbidity is known to confer worse outcomes and greater illness severity. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation method that has demonstrated antidepressant effects. However, the study of rTMS for patients with MDD and commonly associated comorbidities, such as AUD, has been largely overlooked, despite significant overlap in clinical presentation and neurobiological mechanisms. This narrative review aims to highlight the interrelated aspects of the literature on rTMS for MDD and rTMS for AUD. First, we summarize the available evidence on the effectiveness of rTMS for each condition, both most studied through stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Second, we describe common symptom constructs that can be modulated by rTMS, such as executive dysfunction, that are transdiagnostic across these disorders. Lastly, we describe promising approaches in the personalization and optimization of rTMS that may be applicable to both AUD and MDD. By bridging the gap between research efforts in MDD and AUD, rTMS is well positioned to be developed as a treatment for the many patients who have both conditions concurrently. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Alcohol, Drugs, and Addictive Behaviors)
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