Addiction

Drug addiction is a brain disease--that's the modern view and it is fully expressed in this up-to-date book. Among the many volumes on drugs written for lay readers, this one is unique in the breadth of its coverage and the depth of its science. The first part gives a clear scientific account of the nature of addiction, stressing neurobiology and addictive behavior and describing the "highs" that drugs can produce. The second section covers the seven families of addictive drugs, with emphasis on their actions in the brain and on psychological aspects: nicotine, alcohol, heroin and other opiates, cocaine and amphetamines, marijuana, caffeine, and hallucinogens like LSD. The third section deals with laws and drug control policies. Throughout, the author gives many interesting personal accounts of addiction research, to which he has highlighted new research on the genetics and neurobiology of susceptibility to addiction.

Avram Goldstein, M.D. is Emeritus Professor of Pharmacology, Stanford University. He is the author of Principles of Drug Action, is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and is the recipient of many awards including the Franklin Medal, the Nathan B. Eddy Award, and the Sollman Award.

1. IntroductionPART ONE: DRUGS AND THE BRAIN2. Neurotransmitters: The Brain's Own Drugs3. Receptors: Locks for the Addictive Keys4. Addictive Behavior5. Pain and Pleasure6. The Seesaw Brain: "Highs" and Adaptations7. Are Addicts Born or Made?PART TWO: DRUGS AND THE ADDICTS8. Nicotine9. Alcohol and Related Drugs10. Heroin, Morphine, and Other Opiates11. Cocaine and Amphetamines12. Cannabis (Marijuana)13. Caffeine14. HallucinogensPART THREE: DRUGS AND SOCIETY15. Prevention: Just Say No?16. Treatment Addiction, Preventing Relapse17. Three Lessons from the Street18. Three Lessons from Abroad19. Prohibition vs. Legalization- A False Dichotomy20. New Strategies for Rational Drug Policy