The Biological Basis of Drug-Related Cues as Triggers for Relapse

As a recovering addict, several things can lead one to relapse. Some of these things include being exposed to triggers for cravings, such as drug paraphernalia and friends that one used to associate with when using the substance. Furthermore, even things like the music one used to listen to when high could trigger cravings, and ultimately, relapse (Olson).

However, did you know that there is a biological basis for these drug-related cues triggering cravings and ultimately relapse? In Dr. Stephan Steidl’s speech in which he discussed some of his research, he shed some light on some of the processes that makes drug-related cues elicit cravings. He discussed his study in which they recorded electrical brain activity in monkeys. They had the monkey sitting in a chair with an electrode in its midbrain. They started giving the monkey a reward, a squirt of apple juice in the mouth, and noted that prior to the reward, dopamine neurons fired normally, and after the reward, there was more firing (Steidl).

However, they started introducing conditioned stimuli. The squirt of apple juice was then always preceded by a tone or light. They found that after doing this, they were not getting a measurable increase in firing in response to the reward, but instead as a response to the reward predictor. When introducing only the tone or light, the conditioned stimulus, there was an increase in dopamine. In that sense, reward predictors elicit “craving” and precipitate relapse (Steidl). This is why paraphernalia associated with use of drug, and drug predictive cues often lead to cravings and relapse.

The news article from Medical Daily explains how according to the NIDA, 40 to 60 percent of drug or alcohol addicts do end up relapsing, and that the chronic nature of addiction “makes relapse a likely road for recovering addicts” (Olson). However, the article made it a point that cutting out certain drug-related cues that can trigger cravings as described by Steidl’s research, may allow patients to have an easier time fighting their addiction. They suggest that drug counselors should focus more of their attention on “detaching patients from their cigarette-smoking partners, and less attention on hiding lighters from their sight” and that if that is done, “relapse rates could drop” (Olson). Dr. Steidl’s research explains the biological process in which these drug-related cues can trigger cravings and relapse.

Works Cited

Olson, Samantha. " Drug Addicts' Cravings Can Be Sparked By Cues Like Music And Friends, Causing Relapse." Medical Daily. N.p., 05 May 2015. Web. 10 Oct. 2015. < http://www.medicaldaily.com/drug-addicts-cravings-can-be-sparked-cues-music-and-friends-causing-relapse-332042>.

Steidl, Stephan. " Role of laterodorsal tegmental nucleus cholinergic and glutamatergic inputs to the ventral tegmental area in reinforcement, drug reward, and sensitization." Neuroscience Seminar. Loyola University Chicago, Chicago. 1 Sep. 2015. Speech.

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