Abstract

The scope of the addiction problem is enormous. Alcohol abuse in the United States is particularly common, with 22.6% of Americans reporting binge drinking and 6.8% reporting repetitious heavy drinking within the past 30 days. A well-crafted, wonderfully phrased and readable manuscript, such as the article by Dr. Christopher Shea, serves us well as a call to arms. From the Neurobiologic Basis of Alcohol Dependence to Pharmacologic Treatment Strategies: Bridging the Knowledge Gap¹ is hugely important in concept and topic. It remains difficult for many health professionals to accept and understand substance use disorders as an illness rather than a personal weakness. Nonetheless, based on decades of research, it is apparent that the brain of the individual who has a substance use disorder may be different in fundamental ways from the brains of others. Changes in gene expression, metabolism, neurotransmission, and responsiveness to environmental cues may produce compulsive substance seeking and substance use, with disruption of cognitive, emotional, and social behaviors.