Understanding Addiction Relapse Through Dynamical System Models
Ogwang, Amy M; Bignell, Katie
withdrawl - per Tom Nalli
Abstract
Symptoms of addictive disorders often manifest as periodic episodes of relapse followed by a period of recovery. For most types of these disorders, a relapse is triggered when cravings overpower cessation efforts. Subsequently, relapse satiates cravings but can also induce a state of depression, which slowly improves while cravings reintensify. To analyze the underlying mechanisms driving relapse-recovery cycles, we construct a dynamical system model (differential equations) of the interactions between the neurotransmitters dopamine and GABA in the brain of an addictive disorder patient. Using this model, we derive an analytic prediction of relapse frequency in terms of concentrations of dopamine and GABA in the brain's reward system.
Understanding Addiction Relapse Through Dynamical System Models
Symptoms of addictive disorders often manifest as periodic episodes of relapse followed by a period of recovery. For most types of these disorders, a relapse is triggered when cravings overpower cessation efforts. Subsequently, relapse satiates cravings but can also induce a state of depression, which slowly improves while cravings reintensify. To analyze the underlying mechanisms driving relapse-recovery cycles, we construct a dynamical system model (differential equations) of the interactions between the neurotransmitters dopamine and GABA in the brain of an addictive disorder patient. Using this model, we derive an analytic prediction of relapse frequency in terms of concentrations of dopamine and GABA in the brain's reward system.
