Effects of opioid abuse on hippocampal plasticity and its role in the development and maintenance of addiction
Abstract
Chronic exposure to addictive drugs elicit a wide variety of changes in the neural circuits of the brain. The reward processing pathways are specifically involved in the formation of addictions. Opiates are among the most highly addictive pain-relieving substances, and in 2014 opioids were involved in 28,647 deaths in America (61% of all drug overdose deaths). Drug induced signaling and plasticity in the hippocampus provides a link between environmental cues- such as visiting locations of prior drug use- and the development of drug addiction, relapse, and withdrawal. During the formation of drug related memories, opioids alter the synaptic plasticity mechanisms utilized by the hippocampus to initiate the formation of addictive behaviors. However, the role of opioid induced hippocampal plasticity in the formation of drug related memories, and the mechanisms by which this plasticity occurs is not well understood. Opioids affect hippocampal synapses by inducing long term potentiation (LTP), triggering the addiction process. They also modulate the activation of proteins within cell signaling cascades to stimulate long-term memory formation. In both cases the hippocampus has a pivotal role in the formation and maintenance of opioid induced associations. This review explores how opiate addiction impacts the functions of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus to stimulate dangerous addictive behaviors. Research in this field will contribute to the future development of improved treatments for individuals who suffer from addiction and its associated behaviors.
About the Presenter
Ban Alamin
My name is Ban Alamin. I am a senior undergraduate student studying Neuroscience and am pursuing a career in medicine. My research passions focuses on drug addiction and both its neurological and societal impacts. Throughout my undergraduate studies I have become specifically interested in synaptic plasticity and how this mechanisms is utilized in the formation of addictions. With experience working in hospitals I also became interested in opioid abuse, with its increasingly detrimental effects in the US. I hope to explore this topic further to discover how they can be treated more effectively, and to benefit others one day as a future healthcare professional.