Addiction And Memory

The topic that I am interested in for my research paper is the effect of addiction on memory. This will include short and long term memory, the connection between drug use and memory loss, and the neurological impact of continued use in areas of the brain believed to control memory. A comprehensive view of associated symptoms that contribute to cognitive dysfunction will be addressed, such as poor sleeping habits, depression, anxiety, and nutrition. The neurological processes that underlie addiction are also the ones that maintain cognitive function. The research seeks to identify the ways the addiction commandeers the brain’s functions, and have an effect on cognitive functioning, to include memory formation and recall.
The articles that I have chosen to read, review, and apply are as follows:
1. “Addiction and Cognition” by T. Gould from Addiction Science & Clinical Practice
2. “How addiction hijacks the brain” By Harvard Health Publications from the Harvard.edu Newsletter
3. “Addiction: A Disease of Learning and Memory” by S.E. Hyman from the American Journal of Psychiatry
4. …show more content…
“Common Molecular and Cellular Substrates of Addiction and Memory” by E. Nestler from Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
7. “Role of Dopamine, the Frontal Cortex and Memory Circuits in Drug Addiction: Insight from Imaging Studies” by N. Volkow from Neurobiology of Learning and Memory and
8. “Addicted Human Brain: insights from imaging studies” by N.D. Volkow, J.S. Fowler, and G. Wang from The Journal of Clinical Investigation
A cursory scan of the articles reveals a common understanding of how dopamine (DA) neuron levels affects the amygdala, hippocampus and dorsal striatum, all front cortical structures related to types of memory. Long-term use floods these areas, whereas withdrawal leads to dysfunction, which affects the functionality of these structures. These articles bespeak of an imbalance between reward centers that increase in activity as cognitive functions