Neurobiology of an addiction memory

Summary.

The existence of an "addiction memory" (AM) and its importance in relapse occurrence and maintenance of learned addictive behaviour will be explained with neurobiological and clinical arguments. Because the human brain is an open learning system, which reveals its own neuronal connectivity through the experience of the perceived environment with its own state, the personal AM is interpreted as an individual acquired software disturbance in relation to selectively integrating "feedback loops" and "comparator systems" of neuronal information processing. This is in accordance with the experience that the AM and its specific cue reactivity can be activated at any time by relapse-endangering complex internal and/or external situations with cue stimulated craving. The AM becomes part of the personality represented on the molecular level via the neuronal level and the neuropsychological level, especially in the episodic memory.

This neurobiological unchangeable imprinted addictive behaviour with "loss of control" and "obsessive-compulsive craving" was also found in a long-term learning model with rats (Wolffgramm). Identical homological phylogenetically old brain structures for learning mechanisms allow the comparison between human and animal behaviour. The AM seems to be a clinical-empirical proved reality. It is compatible with recently discussed results of neurosciences.