Decision making and addiction.

Abstract

t is well established that chronic drug consumption produces neurochemical and functional changes in the motivational, emotional, memory and learning circuits of the brain . These changes result in an enhanced and permanent saliency value for the drug, and in the loss of inhibitory control, favoring the emergence of compulsive drug intake . The present TFG reviews the consequences of these brain circuitry alterations, focusing on the mesocorticolimbic - striatal circuitry, in decision making processes . For that purpose I reviewed the results of the psychological task “Iowa Gambling Task” in subjects addicted to cocaine . This test has been selected because simulates real - life decision - making and requires prefrontal cortex activation .