Oxytocin and drug addiction

Eilander, Anne (2021) Oxytocin and drug addiction. Bachelor's Thesis, Biology.

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Abstract

Drug addiction is a chronic disorder characterized by relapses and long-term changes in the brain. A characteristic of drug addiction is that a drug addict continues using the drug despite adverse consequences. The mesolimbic pathway is an important pathway of the brain involved in reward and drug addiction. When an individual becomes addicted, there is a switch from liking to wanting the drugs, and from the ventral striatum to the dorsal striatum. The rewarding feeling after drug use disappears, and the drug is used to feel normal again. High levels of anxiety, stress and loneliness are symptoms experienced during drug abstinence. These factors cause high-intensity cravings and increase the probability of relapse. There is no cure available for drug addiction. There are various treatments, however, the number of patients that relapse is still very high. It is important to find an effective treatment that reduces craving and the number of patients that relapse. Oxytocin (OXT) is a hormone in the periphery involved in childbirth and milk ejection. Besides the role of OXT in the periphery, studies revealed that central OXT administration is anxiolytic, exhibits anti-stress effects, and attenuates loneliness. There might also be a direct effect of OXT on dopamine release in areas of the mesolimbic pathway. As there are many connections between the symptoms of withdrawal and the effects of central OXT, it seems that OXT might be used in the treatment of drug addiction.

Item Type:	Thesis (Bachelor's Thesis)
Supervisor name:	Scheurink, A.J.W.
Degree programme:	Biology
Thesis type:	Bachelor's Thesis
Language:	English
Date Deposited:	11 Aug 2021 06:25
Last Modified:	11 Aug 2021 06:25
URI:	https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/25651

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