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Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science pp 1–2Cite as

Drug Sensitization

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Synonyms

Sensitization

Definition

An increase in drug effect upon continual exposure to a drug in the organism, which was previously exposed to the drug.

Introduction

Drug sensitization is a process frequently encountered in the literature of the field of addictions and pharmacology, and it is an essential process towards the understanding of drug action and use.

Drug Sensitization in Substance Abusers

With repeated drug administration, gradual and incremental neuroadaptations are produced that make animals hypersensitive to the specific drugs. Even though users or abusers will be keeping the same dosage levels, drug effects will be greater and greater, therefore they would become intoxicated even in small doses. Using repeatedly a drug but with some pauses in between causes greater sensitization compared to taking a single dosage or even taking repetitively the drug. Moreover, sensitization is promoted if periods of use are alternated with periods of abstinence. When a person who is...

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References

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  • Steketee, J. D., & Kalivas, P. W. (2011). Drug wanting: Behavioral sensitization and relapse to drug-seeking behavior. Pharmacological Reviews, 63(2), 348–365.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus

    Androulla Ioannou & Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous

Authors
  1. Androulla Ioannou
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  2. Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

  2. Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Viviana A. Weekes-Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus

    Menelaos Apostolou

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Ioannou, A., Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous, X. (2018). Drug Sensitization. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1035-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1035-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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