Drug Use And The Therapeutic Treatment Of Drug Addiction

I. Hypothesis It commonly believed that over time, the effects of drug related cues increases the efficacy of relapse. To this end, the researchers are looking to key brain chemicals to aid in the therapeutic treatment of drug addiction. A main concern is how can drug-related cues be counteracted or reduced in patients prone to relapse. In one study, investigators found that â€Å"drug use and relapse involves learned associations between drug-associated discrete and contextual cues and drug taking†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Bossert, Marchant, Calu, Shaham, 2013). This is further corroborated by data suggesting with repeated drug use, an attentional bias occurs (Jasinska, Stein, Kaiser, Naumer, Yalachkov, 2014). As a result, drug cues take over perceptual, cognitive and memory processes. This produces a priming effect, essentially putting the addict in a state of â€Å"drug-seeking† readiness. We predict that when presented with certain contextual cues associated with drug use, they will trig ger a drug-seeking response in drug addicted individuals when compared to the control. We also theorize that time of day will have an effect on the intensity of the drug-seeking response. II. Methodology A. Subjects We will recruit 30 individuals currently seeking drug treatment for cocaine addiction for a two-day study, ages 18 to 50, from local Narcotics Anonymous (NA) groups. The recruits will be from a cross section, at various stages of their drug treatment. Current dependency will be determined byShow MoreRelatedSubstance Use Disorder ( Sud )948 Words   |  4 PagesSubstance Use Disorder’s (SUD) have become an escalating issue in the mental health field over the last few decades. The alarming incline to drug related and co-occurring maladaptive behaviors has created a dedicated science to better understand and define this problematic situation. 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