Memory and motivation: an exploration of the synaptic and systems interactions underlying the formation and extinction of addictive memories

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In Canada, substance abuse imparts a measurable burden on society and family life in part as a result of its devastating effects on premature death and disability. In addition, there is a significant strain on the economy due to its impact on the health care and criminal justice systems. According to a Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse survey, the overall social cost of substance abuse in Canada is estimated to be $39.8 billion, reflecting a cost of over $1,000 to every living person in Canada each year. Substance abuse is a problem that must be addressed on all fronts. Potential solutions to problems associated with the use of alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs must be as subtle and diverse as the problems themselves and the people they affect. Substance abuse is a complex disorder which involves the interaction of environmental factors, multiple brain regions and a vast array of neurochemical factors that are believed to increase the susceptibility of an individual to addictive behavior. The present work attempts to shed some light on these subtleties and complexities. With the acquisition of state-of-the art equipment to fully operate 12 operant chambers (i.e., 'Skinner' boxes), the experiments laid out in this proposal are set to determine the brain mechanisms that undergo substantial changes during the development, maintenance and termination of addictive-like behaviors, some of which may underlie substance abuse problems. During the course of this research, preclinical studies using rats will be utilized to more fully understand the neurochemical and structural changes in the brain that underlie addiction. The experiments will study all levels of brain function from neurochemicals and molecules, through brain cells, to the whole brain and the behaving organism. These studies will provide a foundation for a clearer understanding of the multiple neural components underlying the substance abuse and addiction process and lead to the development of treatments to curtail these devastating disorders.