Pharmacological research to overcome addiction

Abstract

Addiction is defined as a psychic state of patients characterized by psychobehavioral changes such as compulsions to take a drug and reinforcing behaviors, even they know its side effects. It is difficult to prevent relapse of addiction in the present. In terms of drug dependence, it is urgent issue to investigate molecular and neurocircuit associated with drug-seeking behavior and therapeutic strategies. The formation of enduring associations between the primary rewarding properties of drugs and the environmental cues linked to drug use produces powerful triggers for relapse in abstinent addicts. The persistence of craving and high incidence of relapse following prolonged periods of abstinence in the addicted patient population is a major hurdle for therapeutic treatments. However, it remains unclear the molecular mechanism by which addictive drugs lead drug-seeking behaviors, due to the delay in technological development. We have recently developed novel comprehensive phosphoproteomic analysis and database that enables us to understand phosphorylation signal. In this symposium, I will discuss the signaling pathway in accumbal neurons using our phosphoproteomics in order to elucidate the molecular mechanism to induce drug-seeking behavior signal. I also propose the novel direction to treat addiction.