Drug addiction has become one of the mayor
problems in Puerto Rico. Every day we see news about tragedies and crimes
caused by drug related issues. In Puerto Rico 1 out of 50 people between the
ages of 15 to 74 years abused drugs in 2008, while 1 out of 50 people suffered
from drug dependence this same year. (Assmca, 2008) This large proportion of drug abuse and dependence has leaded the
scientific community to question the possible cause of drug addiction. Anxiety
has been consider as a predisposition and one of causes of drug addiction. This
emotion occurs with a much stronger intensity during youth, which increases the
probability that the young try drugs for the first time to inhibit anxiety feelings, and
eventually become addicted to the drug. (Stanton, 1988)(Boddapati, 2014) Anxiety does not only has a close
relationship with the first drug seeking action, it also holds a connection
with drug seeking during withdrawal. (Fox et al, 2013) Anxiety plays an important part in making the drug addict use the drug continuously and relapse after abstaining from the drug, as a part of the abstinence syndrome. So, by studding the relationship between anxiety and drug
addiction we could discover different treatments or possible cures for drug
addiction.
Cocaine is one of the drugs with highest abuse and dependences probabilities due to anxiety. This psicostimulant drug, like every reinforcing drug employs effects in the dopaminergic mesolimbic pathway. This pathway, that extends from the VTA to the Nucleus Accumbens, activates with the drug, reinforcing the act of drug taking and promoting a second use of the drug. When a constant use of the drug has been established the systems adapts to the presence of the drug and reestablish a new balance of receptors and neurotransmitters of which the drug acts upon. This new balance is dependent of the drug, and when restrained of it, causes the opposite of the reinforcing effects, hence causing anxiety and leading to drug intake. (Koob et al, 2001)
Cocaine is one of the drugs with highest abuse and dependences probabilities due to anxiety. This psicostimulant drug, like every reinforcing drug employs effects in the dopaminergic mesolimbic pathway. This pathway, that extends from the VTA to the Nucleus Accumbens, activates with the drug, reinforcing the act of drug taking and promoting a second use of the drug. When a constant use of the drug has been established the systems adapts to the presence of the drug and reestablish a new balance of receptors and neurotransmitters of which the drug acts upon. This new balance is dependent of the drug, and when restrained of it, causes the opposite of the reinforcing effects, hence causing anxiety and leading to drug intake. (Koob et al, 2001)
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