Abstract
A common denominator for the occurrence of abuse with various psychoactive drugs is their reinforcing property. This can reliably be studied in experimental animals by using procedures for drug self-administration. Initiation, maintenance and cessation of self-administering behaviour is influenced by external and internal factors and by drug-induced alterations of homeostatic mechanisms in the organism. Among the internal factors which modulate the reinforcing efficacy of opiates are the neurohypophysial hormones and their fragments.
Animal experiments indicate that des-glycinamide9, arginine8, vasopressin (DGAVP) reduces acquisition of heroin self-administration, suggesting that this neuropeptide attenuates the reinforcing action of heroin. Treatment of heroin addicts with DGAVP facilitates their methadon detoxification. It is postulated that derangements in neurohypophysial hormone-containing systems may be critical factors in the development of drug-seeking behaviour. Analysis of the significance of various brain neuropeptide systems for experimental and human addictive behaviour may lead to a more goal-directed treatment of addiction in the future.
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van Ree, J.M. (1980). Neurohypophysial hormones and addiction. In: Hormones and the Brain. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-8709-8_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-8709-8_14
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-009-8711-1
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-8709-8
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