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New Approaches to Addiction Treatment Based on Learning and Memory

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Behavioral Neurobiology of Alcohol Addiction

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences ((CTBN,volume 13))

Abstract

Preclinical studies suggest that physiological learning processes are similar to changes observed in addicts at the molecular, neuronal, and structural levels. Based on the importance of classical and instrumental conditioning in the development and maintenance of addictive disorders, many have suggested cue-exposure-based extinction training of conditioned, drug-related responses as a potential new treatment of addiction. It may also be possible to facilitate this extinction training with pharmacological compounds that strengthen memory consolidation during cue exposure. Another potential therapeutic intervention would be based on the so-called reconsolidation theory. According to this hypothesis, already-consolidated memories return to a labile state when reactivated, allowing them to undergo another phase of consolidation–reconsolidation, which can be pharmacologically manipulated. These approaches suggest that the extinction of drug-related memories may represent a viable treatment strategy in the future treatment of addiction.

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Abbreviations

BLA:

Basolateral amygdala

DCS:

D-cycloserine

LTD:

Long time depression

LTP:

Long-term potentiation

NAc:

Nucleus accumbens

NMDA:

N-methyl-D-aspartate

PFC:

Prefrontal cortex

VTA:

Ventral tegmental area

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) (grant SFB 636, D6), as well as the Bundesministerium fĂĽr Bildung und Forschung (grant NGFN 01 GS08152, SP 13).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany

    Falk Kiefer & Christina Dinter

  2. Department of Addiction Medicine, Central Institute for Mental Health, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany

    Falk Kiefer

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  1. Falk Kiefer
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  2. Christina Dinter
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Correspondence to Falk Kiefer .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Abt. Psychopharmakologie, Zentralinstitut fĂĽr Seelische Gesundheit, J 5, Mannheim, 68159, Germany

    Wolfgang H. Sommer

  2. Abt. Psychopharmakologie, Zentralinstitut fĂĽr Seelische Gesundheit, J 5, Mannheim, 68159, Germany

    Rainer Spanagel

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Kiefer, F., Dinter, C. (2011). New Approaches to Addiction Treatment Based on Learning and Memory. In: Sommer, W., Spanagel, R. (eds) Behavioral Neurobiology of Alcohol Addiction. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, vol 13. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28720-6_147

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