ABSTRACT
Drugs of abuse produce their addictive effects by acting on neural pathways in the brain. Currently available medications for drug addiction act by targeting these pathways and altering their response to the addictive drug (Table 1). The challenge posed by this treatment strategy is that the neural pathways that are important in drug abuse are also important in mediating a myriad of other normal functions ranging from cognition to emotion. In altering these pathways to treat drug abuse, medications alter normal functions as well as lead to side effects and limitations on the dose of medication that can be administered.
