Istituto Di Neuroscienze - CNR

Neurobiology of addiction

This research project is mainly focused on the risk factors that enhance vulnerability to addiction to alcohol, drugs (nicotine, cocaine, heroin, cannabinoids, amphetamine), and food. These risk factors include age, genetics, gender, environment (stress), and psychiatric comorbidity (schizophrenia, anxiety, depression).

Behavioral, electrophysiological, biochemical, pharmacological, genetic, and molecular approaches are routinely used to study brain development and plasticity as well as the central mechanisms through which alcohol, nicotine, drugs of abuse, and palatable food affect behavior and neuronal activity.

This research has led to the identification of novel, potentially effective pharmacotherapies for alcohol and nicotine dependence.