0000000001329629
AUTHOR
Frascella A. G.
D-TMS IN COCAINE ADDICTION: preliminary findings
Cocaine-related disorders are currently among the most devastating mental disease as they leads to profound disturbances in an individual’s behaviour resulting in tremendous economic, social, and moral costs. Imaging studies in human have shown a reduction of dopamine (DA) receptors accompanied by a lesser release of endogenous DA in the ventral striatum (AVT) of cocaine subjects thereby resulting in a ‘dopamine-impoverished’ brain[1-2]. This perturbations lead to neuroadpatations in several other circuits which are related to motivation, inhibitory control, and memory which finally determ compulsive-impulsive self drug administration[3]. The lasting reduction in physiological activity of t…
TRANSCRANICAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION IN COCAINE ADDICTION:PRELIMINARY FINDINGS
Drug addiction is a brain disease which leads to profound disturbances in an individual’s behaviour. In spite of the progress made in the understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying addiction, expectations from a therapeutic point of view have not been satisfying. Given the modest efficacy of therapeutic tools available, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) seems to be a promising “non-pharmacologic” aid in various neuropathologies including addiction which is characterized by a decrease of dopaminergic activity (DA). Thus, ‘restoring’ pre-pathology DA activity may yield clinical benefits in addicts. In particular, it has been reported that TMS reduces the craving for coca…