Neural Mechanisms of Addiction

Neural Mechanisms of Addiction is the only book available that synthesizes the latest research in the field into a single, accessible resource covering all aspects of how addiction develops and persists in the brain. The book summarizes our most recent understanding on the neural mechanisms underlying addiction. It also examines numerous biobehavioral aspects of addiction disorders, such as reinforcement learning, reward, cognitive dysfunction, stress, and sleep and circadian rhythms that are not covered in any other publication. Readers with find the most up-to-date information on which to build a foundation for their future research in this expanding field.Combining chapters from leading researchers and thought leaders, this book is an indispensable guide for students and investigators engaged in addiction research.- Transcends multiple neural, neurochemical and behavioral domains- Summarizes advances in the field of addiction research since the advent of optogenetics- Discusses the most current, leading theories of addiction, including molecular mechanisms and dopamine mechanisms

About the Author

Mary Torregrossa has conducted research in the neuroscience of addiction field for 16 years, including studying opiates, psychostimulants, alcohol, and cannabinoids in addition to investigating the neural mechanisms underlying addiction and potential treatments using a variety of techniques, including behavioral analyses, pharmacology, microdialysis, biochemistry, molecular biology, and proteomics. Dr. Torregrossa began her career by earning her Ph.D. at the University of Michigan in the laboratory of Dr. James Woods, one of the “founding fathers” of behavioral pharmacological studies of addictive disorders using animal models, and, as a postdoctoral fellow, trained with two other leaders in the addiction field, Dr. Peter Kalivas and Dr. Jane Taylor. Dr. Torregrossa is now an independent investigator in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. She is the author of nearly 30 peer-reviewed articles in the field, as well as numerous reviews and book chapters.