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Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., Annals PrePrint, published online ahead of print September 10, 2007 doi: 10.1196/annals.1401.022 Copyright © 2007 by the New York Academy of Sciences description
1 Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom 2 Drug Dependence and Behavioural Neurochemistry, GlaxoSmithKlyne, Verona, Verona, Italy 3 Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambs, United Kingdom 4 Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambs, United Kingdom
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: bje10{at}cam.ac.uk. PrePrint Abstract
In this chapter, we review evidence implicating the orbital prefrontal cortex in drug addiction. We show that the orbital cortex is involved in conditioned reinforcement and is thereby important for the acquisition of cocaine seeking behavior studied in a way that provides an animal experimental homologue of orbital cortex activation and craving upon exposure of addicts to drug-associated stimuli. We discuss the evidence indicating orbital prefrontal cortex dysfunction in human drug addicts, reviewing both neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies. Finally, we consider animal experimental evidence suggesting that addictive drugs may cause orbital cortex dysfunction and thereby contribute to the transition to drug addiction. Reconciling the observations that even brief periods of drug exposure can lead to long-lasting functional and structural deficits associated with the OFC together with those suggesting interactions between a vulnerable phenotype and chronic drug-self-administration will be an important topic of future research. Key Words:
drug seeking, compulsion, conditioned reinforcement
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