Neurobiology of Drug Addiction

2 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

The course is designed to gain an understanding of how the brain is affected by drugs of abuse. Lecturers will present different classes of naturally occurring (e.g. morphine, cocaine, alcohol) and chemically synthesized (e.g. prescription drugs, amphetamines, MDMA) drugs, their mechanisms of action and the brain areas that they affect. The lecturers will also provide an overview of the clinical presentations and course of substance use disorders. Moreover, the many factors influencing the development of substance use disorders, including developmental, environmental, social, and genetic factors, will be presented. Animal models of drug reward and addiction will be discussed.