Addiction Biology
March 1, 2026
Leah M Salinsky, Kyra C Diaz, Joshua L Fox et al.
1 citation
Polysubstance use of opioids and stimulants is increasingly common among individuals with a substance use disorder, yet most researchers examine these substances in isolation. This gap limits our understanding of the effects of polysubstance use and how these differ from single substance use. Here, we examined the impact of single versus polysubstance exposure of fentanyl and methamphetamine on...
Addiction Biology
March 1, 2026
Isis Koutrouli, Vojtěch Brejtr, Marek Schwendt et al.
Psychedelics have emerged as potential therapeutics for substance use disorders, yet preclinical data validating their efficacy remain limited. Here, we investigated the effects of a clinically inspired dose-escalation protocol of psilocybin and ibogaine on extinction and cue-induced reinstatement in Wistar male rats following intravenous cocaine self-administration (IVSA). Rats were trained on...
Addiction Biology
August 1, 2025
Natalia M Kleinhans, Garth E Terry, Dahyeon Kang et al.
Cue-induced craving-the desire to use a drug triggered by exposure to cues associated with prior use-is a central mechanism in the development and maintenance of problematic substance use behaviours. Drug cues have the power to induce craving even in long-term abstinent individuals, which has led clinicians to advise patients to avoid the people, places and objects that are associated with...
Addiction Biology
March 1, 2025
Salar Sabziparvar, Kazem Khodaei, Javad Tolouei Azar
1 citation
Ketamine abuse damages brain function and structure, increasing reactive oxygen species and apoptosis in the cerebral cortex, but moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) can enhance antioxidant defences and reduce apoptosis. Therefore, we aimed to answer whether MICT can reduce the side effects of chronic ketamine abuse. 24 Wistar rats were split into control (CON), ketamine abuse (KET),...
Addiction Biology
February 1, 2025
Kellen M McDonald, Mikki Schantell, Jason A John et al.
Despite its widespread use and popularity, cannabis is known to impact higher order cognitive processes such as attention and executive function. However, far less is known about the impact of chronic cannabis use on cognitive flexibility, a component of executive function, and this is especially true for the underlying functional connectivity dynamics. To address this, we enrolled 25 chronic...
Addiction Biology
April 1, 2024
Stephan Tap
12 citations
Abstract Alcohol use disorder (AUD) remains one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders worldwide with high economic costs. Current treatment options show modest efficacy and relapse rates are high. Furthermore, there are increases in the treatment gap and few new medications have been approved in the past 20 years. Recently, psychedelic‐assisted therapy with psilocybin and lysergic acid...
Addiction Biology
August 31, 2022
Elena Giné, Javier Calleja‐conde, José Á. Morales-García et al.
49 citations
Abstract Classic psychedelics refer to substances such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, ayahuasca, and mescaline, which induce altered states of consciousness by acting mainly on 5‐HT 2A receptors. Recently, the interest of psychedelics as pharmacological treatment for psychiatric disorders has increased significantly, including their use on problematic use of alcohol. This...
Addiction Biology
August 4, 2022
Klára Šíchová, Kateřina Syrová, Edita Kofroňová et al.
8 citations
agonists containing substances emerging on the illicit drug market as a replacement for N,N-diethyllysergamide (LSD). Despite the increasing use of NBOMes for diagnostic, research and recreational purposes, only a limited number of studies have focussed on their in vivo effect. Here, we investigated pharmacokinetics, systemic toxicity, thermoregulation in individually and group-housed animals,...
Addiction Biology
May 1, 2022
Feng Li, Han Du, Bo Wu et al.
16 citations
2-Fluorodeschloroketamine (2-FDCK) as a substitute for ketamine has emerged among drug abusers in recent years. However, 2-FDCK has not been controlled or regulated in many countries, which may be partly related to the lack of evidence on its abuse potential. In this study, we evaluated the abuse potential of 2-FDCK via the tests of the conditioned place preference (CPP), locomotor...
Addiction Biology
2022
Laurel P Gibson, Hollis C Karoly, Jarrod M. Ellingson et al.
Using a federally compatible, naturalistic at-home administration procedure, the present study examined the acute effects of three cannabis flower chemovars with different tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to cannabidiol (CBD) ratios, in order to test whether chemovars with a higher CBD content produce different effects. Participants were randomly assigned to ad libitum administration of one of three...
Addiction Biology
December 22, 2021
Thomas R. Arkell, Richard C. Kevin, Frederick Vinckenbosch et al.
45 citations
Some evidence suggests that males and females may differ in their responses to acute cannabis effects, including subjective drug effects and behavioural effects, and cannabinoid pharmacokinetics. This is significant given current changes to cannabis-related policies and, in consequence, increased cannabis accessibility. The present study combines data from two randomized controlled trials to...
Addiction Biology
November 22, 2021
Dusan Hirjak, Mike M. Schmitgen, Florian Werler et al.
33 citations
Heavy cannabis use (HCU) is frequently associated with a plethora of cognitive, psychopathological and sensorimotor phenomena. Although HCU is frequent, specific patterns of abnormal brain structure and function underlying HCU in individuals presenting without cannabis-use disorder or other current and life-time major mental disorders are unclear at present. This multimodal magnetic resonance...
Addiction Biology
February 3, 2021
Bree A. Humburg, Chloe J. Jordan, Hai‐Ying Zhang et al.
30 citations
Abstract Despite extensive research, the rewarding effects of cannabinoids are still debated. Here, we used a newly established animal procedure called optogenetic intracranial self‐stimulation (ICSS) (oICSS) to re‐examine the abuse potential of cannabinoids in mice. A specific adeno‐associated viral vector carrying a channelrhodopsin gene was microinjected into the ventral tegmental area (VTA)...
Addiction Biology
November 1, 2020
Abstract An increasing number of N ‐2‐methoxybenzyl‐phenethylamine (NBOMe) derivatives are being misused worldwide, including the potent hallucinogen 2‐(4‐bromo‐2,5‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐ N ‐(2‐methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25B‐NBOMe). However, the number of studies characterizing the abuse potential and psychopharmacological properties of 25B‐NBOMe is limited; thus, we examined its rewarding and...
Addiction Biology
September 1, 2020
Ross Van de Wetering, Susan Schenk
9 citations
AbstractRepeated exposure to drugs produces a plethora of persistent brain changes, some of which underlie the development of drug addiction. An important objective of addiction research is to identify the brain changes that might mediate the transition from drug use to drug misuse. The persistent accumulation of the transcription factor, ∆FosB, following repeated drug exposure provides a means...
Addiction Biology
May 7, 2020
Nikola Pinterová, Rachel R. Horsley, Hynek Danda et al.
13 citations
Naphthylpyrovalerone (naphyrone) is a pyrovalerone cathinone that potently inhibits monoamine transporters and provides stimulatory-entactogenic effects. Little is known about the safety of naphyrone or its effects in vivo, and more research is needed to acquire knowledge about its fundamental effects on physiology and behaviour. Our objective was to investigate naphyrone's pharmacokinetics,...
Addiction Biology
December 22, 2019
Natasha L. Mason, Eef L. Theunissen, Nadia R. P. W. Hutten et al.
58 citations
Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug in the world. However, because of a changing legal landscape and rising interest in therapeutic utility, there is an increasing trend in (long-term) use and possibly cannabis impairment. Importantly, a growing body of evidence suggests that regular cannabis users develop tolerance to the impairing, as well as the rewarding, effects of the drug....
Addiction Biology
May 1, 2019
Shaul Schreiber, Miaad Bader, Tatiana Lenchinski et al.
30 citations
Synthetic cannabinoids are psychoactive substances designed to mimic the euphorigenic effects of the natural cannabis. Novel unregulated compounds appear once older compounds become illegal. It has been previously reported that synthetic cannabinoids are different than Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9 -THC) as they have chemical structures unrelated to Δ9 -THC, different metabolism and, often,...
Addiction Biology
March 3, 2016
Laura Blanco‐Hinojo, Jesus Pujol, Ben J. Harrison et al.
52 citations
Heavy cannabis use is associated with reduced motivation. The basal ganglia, central in the motivation system, have the brain's highest cannabinoid receptor density. The frontal lobe is functionally coupled to the basal ganglia via segregated frontal-subcortical circuits conveying information from internal, self-generated activity. The basal ganglia, however, receive additional influence from...
Addiction Biology
January 5, 2016
Alexander F. Hoffman, Matthew D. Lycas, Jakub Kaczmarzyk et al.
39 citations
Abstract There has been a marked increase in the availability of synthetic drugs designed to mimic the effects of marijuana. These cannabimimetic drugs, sold illicitly as ‘Spice’ and related products, are associated with serious medical complications in some users. In vitro studies suggest that synthetic cannabinoids in these preparations are potent agonists at central cannabinoid CB1 receptors...
Addiction Biology
March 1, 2014
Xaver Koenig, Michael Kovar, Stefan Boehm et al.
50 citations
Ibogaine, an alkaloid derived from the African shrub Tabernanthe iboga, has shown promising anti-addictive properties in animals. Anecdotal evidence suggests that ibogaine is also anti-addictive in humans. Thus, it alleviates drug craving and impedes relapse of drug use. Although not licensed as therapeutic drug, and despite evidence that ibogaine may disturb the rhythm of the heart, this...
Addiction Biology
June 14, 2013
Sarah Bradbury, Judith Bird, Joyce Colussi‐mas et al.
59 citations
Abstract The current study aimed to elucidate the role of pharmacokinetic ( PK ) parameters and neurotransmitter efflux in explaining variability in (±) 3, 4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine ( MDMA ) self‐administration in rats. PK profiles of MDMA and its major metabolites were determined after the administration of 1.0 mg/kg MDMA (iv) prior to, and following, the acquisition of MDMA...
Addiction Biology
July 11, 2012
Judith Bird, Susan Schenk
39 citations
It has been suggested that the response to novelty and impulsivity predict the latency to acquisition and maintenance of drug self-administration, respectively. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between these two traits and (1) the latency to acquisition and (2) maintenance (drug-seeking) of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) self -administration. Impulsivity, measured...
Addiction Biology
January 19, 2012
Xavier Viñals, Rafaël Maldonado, Patricia Robledo
32 citations
ABSTRACT Repeated administration of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) produces dopaminergic neurotoxicity in mice. However, it is still not clear whether this exposure induces deficits in cognitive processing related to specific subsets of executive functioning. We evaluated the effects of neurotoxic and non‐neurotoxic doses of MDMA (0, 3 and 30 mg/kg, twice daily for 4 days) on working...
Addiction Biology
October 13, 2011
Bruno Ribeiro Do Couto, Manuel Daza‐losada, Marta Rodrı́guez-arias et al.
26 citations
ABSTRACT Many adolescents often take ethanol (EtOH) in combination with 3,4‐methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA). In the present work, we used a mouse model to study the effect of repeated pre‐exposure during adolescence to EtOH (2 g/kg), MDMA (10 or 20 mg/kg) or EtOH + MDMA on the rewarding and reinstating effects of MDMA in the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. Pre‐exposure to...