Molecular Biology of Drug Addiction

"I found this text to be a wonderful compilation...each chapter highlighted the use of recently established techniques to provide an improved understanding of the role of specific membrane transport pathways, hormone receptors, intracellular signaling pathways and even circulating hormone and drug levels deep within the brain." -Pharmaceutical Research

• I. Opioid Addiction.- 1 Molecular Mechanisms of Opioid Dependence by Using Knockout Mice.- 2 Molecular Genetic Approaches.- 3 Opiate Addiction: Role of the cAMP Pathway and CREB.- 4 Different Intracellular Signaling Systems Involved in Opioid Tolerance/Dependence.- 5 Inhibitors of Enkephalin Catabolism: New Therapeutic Tool in Opioid Dependence.- II. Psychostimulant Addiction.- 6 Recent Advances in the Molecular Mechanisms of Psychostimulant Abuse Using Knockout Mice.- 7 Opioid Modulation of Psychomotor Stimulant Effects.- 8 Influence of Environmental and Hormonal Factors in Sensitivity to Psychostimulants.- 9 Development and Expression of Behavioral Sensitization: Temporal Profile of Changes in Gene Expression.- III. Cannabinoid Addiction.- 10 New Advances in the Identification and Physiological Roles of the Components of the Endogenous Cannabinoid System.- 11 Integration of Molecular and Behavioral Approaches to Evaluate Cannabinoid Dependence.- 12 Opioid System Involvement in Cannabinoid Tolerance and Dependence.- IV. Alcohol and Nicotine Addiction.- 13 Current Strategies for Identifying Genes for Alcohol Sensitivity.- 14 Genetic Basis of Ethanol Reward.- 15 Behavioral and Molecular Aspects of Alcohol Craving and Relapse.- 16 Molecular and Behavioral Aspects of Nicotine Dependence and Reward.