Evidence for incentive salience sensitization as a pathway to alcohol use disorder

Roberto U. Cofresí; Bruce D. Bartholow; Thomas M. Piasecki

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.10.009

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Evidence for incentive salience sensitization as a pathway to alcohol use disorder

Journal article

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Peer reviewed

Evidence for incentive salience sensitization as a pathway to alcohol use disorder

Roberto U. Cofresí, Bruce D. Bartholow and Thomas M. Piasecki

Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews, Vol.107, pp.897-926

12/01/2019

DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.10.009

PMCID: 6878895

PMID: 31672617

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/6878895View

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Abstract

The incentive salience sensitization (ISS) theory of addiction holds that addictive behavior stems from the ability of drugs to progressively sensitize the brain circuitry that mediates attribution of incentive salience (IS) to reward-predictive cues and its behavioral manifestations. In this article, we establish the plausibility of ISS as an etiological pathway to alcohol use disorder (AUD). We provide a comprehensive and critical review of evidence for: (1) the ability of alcohol to sensitize the brain circuitry of IS attribution and expression; and (2) attribution of IS to alcohol-predictive cues and its sensitization in humans and non-human animals. We point out gaps in the literature and how these might be addressed. We also highlight how individuals with different alcohol subjective response phenotypes may differ in susceptibility to ISS as a pathway to AUD. Finally, we discuss important implications of this neuropsychological mechanism in AUD for psychological and pharmacological interventions attempting to attenuate alcohol craving and cue reactivity.

alcohol sensitivity

alcohol use disorder

craving

cue reactivity

etiology

incentive salience

relapse

sensitization

treatment

Details

Title: Subtitle: Evidence for incentive salience sensitization as a pathway to alcohol use disorder
Creators: Roberto U. Cofresí - University of Missouri
Bruce D. Bartholow - University of Missouri
Thomas M. Piasecki - University of Missouri
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews, Vol.107, pp.897-926
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.10.009
PMID: 31672617
PMCID: 6878895
NLM abbreviation: Neurosci Biobehav Rev
ISSN: 0149-7634
eISSN: 1873-7528
Grant note: DOI: 10.13039/100000009, name: NIH, award: NIAAA R01-AA-025451, NIAAA T32-AA-013526; name: University of Missouri Department of Psychological Sciences Mission Enhancement Fund
Language: English
Date published: 12/01/2019
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
Record Identifier: 9984446065402771

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