Journal of Undergraduate Research
Keywords
alcohol, nicotine, co-dependence, addiction, abused drugs
College
Life Sciences
Department
Physiology and Developmental Biology
Abstract
Alcoholism and nicotine (NIC) addiction are chronic relapsing disorders that have enormous impact on society. Alcohol and NIC are the most commonly abused drugs, and a large body of evidence indicates that there is a positive correlation between their consumption. Today, smoking NIC-containing tobacco products is recognized as one of the greatest risk factors in the development of alcoholism. A major goal of addiction research is to characterize the critical neural substrates that are most sensitive to these drugs, adapt in association with chronic consumption and drive subsequent drug-seeking behavior. The long-term objective of our research program is to advance our understanding of the neural basis of drug reward and dependence. The rationale for this proposal is predicated on the belief that advancement in the understanding of the brain mechanisms underlying the recreational use and abuse potential of NIC and alcohol will pave the way for more effective treatment strategies that could reverse dependence on these drugs and save lives and resources throughout the world.
Recommended Citation
Steffensen, Scott C. and Sudweeks, Sterling N.
(2015)
"Alcohol and Nicotine Co-Dependence,"
Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2015:
Iss.
1, Article 249.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2015/iss1/249