A NEUROCHEMICAL BASIS FOR ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG-ADDICTION

There are major clinical observations in alcohol and other drug addict s and neurochemical studies in animals and humans that support the hyp othesis for a common neurochemical basis for alcohol and other drug ad diction. The common occurrence of concurrent alcohol and multiple drug dependence in clinical and general populations, family history and ge netic studies, and basic and clinical research in the neurochemistry o f addictive behavior provide evidence for a common genealogical vulner ability to combined alcohol and other drug addiction. Clinical neuroch emical models for addictive behaviors can be derived from neurochemica l pathways for the initiation and sustenance of addictive disorders. T he role of tolerance and dependence is not specific to addiction but i ndicates a homeostatic response of the brain to the presence of a fore ign substance. Animal and human studies are analyzed for clinical synt hesis of a neurochemical basis for addictive disorders.