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The Neurobiology of Drug Addiction

1: The reward pathway and addiction

The reward pathway and addiction

Introduce the concept of reward. Humans, as well as other organisms engage in behaviors that are rewarding; the pleasurable feelings provide positive reinforcement so that the behavior is repeated. There are natural rewards as well as artificial rewards, such as drugs.

This page was last updated January 2007

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Explores the consequences of drug abuse on the brain and body and introduces the topics of prevention, and treatment.

Featured Publication

Featured Publication

Drugs, Brains, and Behavior - The Science of Addiction

As a result of scientific research, we know that addiction is a disease that affects both brain and behavior.

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