Journal article
Ecology and neurobiology of toxin avoidance and the paradox of drug reward
Neuroscience, Vol.160(1), pp.69-84
2009
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/116011
PMID: 19233250
Abstract
Current neurobiological theory of drug use is based on the observation that all addictive drugs induce changes in activity of dopaminergic circuitry, interfering with reward processing, and thus enhancing drug seeking and consumption behaviors. Current theory of drug origins, in contrast, views almost all major drugs of abuse, including nicotine, cocaine and opiates, as plant neurotoxins that evolved to punish and deter herbivores. According to this latter view, plants should not have evolved compounds that reward or reinforce plant consumption. Mammals, in turn, should not have evolved reinforcement mechanisms easily triggered by toxic substances. Situated in an ecological context, therefore, drug reward is a paradox. In an attempt to resolve the paradox, we review the neurobiology of aversive learning and toxin avoidance and their relationships to appetitive learning. We seek to answer the question: why does aversive learning not prevent the repeated use of plant drugs? We conclude by proposing alternative models of drug seeking and use. Specifically, we suggest that humans, like other animals, might have evolved to counter-exploit plant neurotoxins.
Metrics
9 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Ecology and neurobiology of toxin avoidance and the paradox of drug reward
- Creators
- E.H Hagen - Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Vancouver, WA, USAR.J Sullivan - Department of Anthropology, California State University, Sacramento, CA, USAR Schmidt - Institute for Theoretical Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, GermanyG Morris - Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Berlin, GermanyR Kempter - Institute for Theoretical Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, GermanyP Hammerstein - Institute for Theoretical Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
- Publication Details
- Neuroscience, Vol.160(1), pp.69-84
- Academic Unit
- Anthropology, Department of
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Identifiers
- 99900547993501842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article