Nicotine limits avoidance conditioning with opioids without interfering with the ability to discriminate an opioid-interoceptive state.

Approximately 90 % of individuals undergoing treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) report comorbid use of nicotine. As such, further investigation into underlying mechanisms contributing to the extreme comorbidity between nicotine and opioid use are warranted. Nicotine administration significantly escalates self-administration of opioids and this increase in motivational efficacy persists despite contingent punishment of opioid consumption.

Escalation of alcohol intake is associated with regionally decreased insular cortex activity but not changes in taste quality.

Background: Intermittent access to ethanol drives persistent escalation of intake and rapid transition from moderate to compulsive-like drinking. Intermittent ethanol drinking may facilitate escalation of intake in part by altering aversion-sensitive neural substrates, such as the insular cortex (IC), thus driving greater approach toward stimuli previously treated as aversive.

Methods: We conducted a series of experiments in rats to examine behavioral and neural responses associated with escalation of ethanol intake.

Alcohol, Aggression, and Violence: From Public Health to Neuroscience.

Alcohol has been associated with violent crimes and domestic violence across many nations. Various etiological factors were linked to chronic alcohol use and violence including psychiatric comorbidities of perpetrators such as personality disorders, mood disorders, and intermittent explosive disorders. Aggression is the precursor of violence and individuals prone to aggressive behaviors are more likely to commit impulsive violent crimes, especially under the influence of alcohol.