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Neuroanthropology of Drugs: Relations Between the Brain, Social Context, and Use of Psychoactive Substances

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Drugs and Human Behavior

Abstract

In view of the complexity of issues concerning the use and dependence of drugs, a dialogue between areas such as neuroscience and the social and human sciences has become essential. In contrast to reductionist and simplifying paradigms, broader and integrative approaches were adopted in order to better understand the subject and develop more effective intervention strategies. Neuroanthropology is described in the scientific literature as one of these interdisciplinary fields, which enables the application of knowledge from different areas with the aim of solving problems that impact human life. It is an approach that recognizes the multifactoriality of behavior, considering psychological aspects and the socio-cultural dimension, as well as biogenetic factors. This chapter aims to present a historical-anthropological overview of substance use, discuss the different theoretical models developed to explain drug use and dependence, and present the scientific advances in the area, especially regarding this new discipline that unites the knowledge of neuroscience and social and human sciences to discuss the implications of socio-cultural factors on brain development and functioning. Thus, it is expected to demonstrate the complex and mutual relationships established between the brain and different social contexts and how they influence experiences related to the use of psychoactive substances.

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  • 30 May 2021

    Chapter 4 of the book was published without including the second author’s name Alba Zaluar.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidade do Vale do Itajaí, Itajaí, SC, Brazil

    Richard Alecsander Reichert

  2. Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Alba Zaluar

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  1. Richard Alecsander Reichert
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Denise De Micheli  & Eroy Aparecida da Silva  & 

  2. Department of Psychology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

    André Luiz Monezi Andrade

  3. Department of Psychology, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí, Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil

    Richard Alecsander Reichert

  4. Department of Education, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Guarulhos, São Paulo, Brazil

    Bruno de Oliveira Pinheiro

  5. Department of Psychology, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil

    Fernanda Machado Lopes

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Reichert, R.A., Zaluar, A. (2021). Neuroanthropology of Drugs: Relations Between the Brain, Social Context, and Use of Psychoactive Substances. In: De Micheli, D., Andrade, A.L.M., Reichert, R.A., Silva, E.A.d., Pinheiro, B.d.O., Lopes, F.M. (eds) Drugs and Human Behavior. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62855-0_4

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