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Loss and regaining control in addictions

The main risk factors for mortality and morbidity worldwide are alcohol and tobacco consumption. While knowledge about individual factors that influence the initiation and maintenance of substance consums is increasing, there is still a lack of in-depth knowledge about modulatory factors and mechanisms that contribute to the loss and regaining of control over drug use. A better understanding of these factors and mechanisms will be critical to improving the treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs).The goal of our research consortium in TRR265 is to identify the trajectories of loss and regain of control over drug use, to investigate the underlying neurobiological and learning mechanisms, and to develop mechanism-based therapies. These goals should be achieved through 3 approaches: (I) the use of innovative mobile health tools to determine the influence of triggers, (II) in closely networked studies on humans and in animal models, the decisive mechanisms should be identified and mathematically modeled (III) based on this, interventions should be developed that specifically target these mechanisms in order to support regaining control over drug use.

News from the TRR

 TRAJECTORS

Longitudinal course of loss and regain of control in alcohol and drug use

project board

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Andreas Heinz

Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Andreas Heinz

Spokesman Period 1 TRR 265, Director of the Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

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Falk Kiefer

Prof. Dr. med. Falk Kiefer

 

Deputy Spokesman TRR 265, Medical Director Clinic for Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, ZI Mannheim

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Michael Smolka

Prof. Dr. med. Michael Smolka

Deputy spokesman TRR 265, head of the research area systemic neurosciences, TU Dresden

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Heike Tost

Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Heike Tost

Deputy spokeswoman TRR 265, Dipl.-Psych., doctor, head of the working group Systemic Neurosciences in Psychiatry (SNiP), ZI Mannheim

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Rainer Spanagel

Prof. Dr. Rainer Spanagel

Spokesman Period 2 TRR265, 2nd funding period. Scientific Director of the Institute for Psychopharmacology, ZI Mannheim

Steering committee

Spokesperson:                                                            Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Rainer Spanagel

Deputy Spokesperson:                                                  Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Heike Tost

Deputy Spokesperson:                                                  Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Andreas Heinz

Deputy Spokesperson:                                                  Prof. Dr. med. Michael Smolka

Young Scientist Representative:                                       Prof. Dr. med. Shuyan Liu

Other members:                                                          Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Tanja Endrass

Other members:                                                          Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Christian Beste

Other members:                                                          Prof. Dr. med. Falk Kiefer

Other members:                                                          Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Michael Rapp

Figure 1 ReCoDe.jpg

figuresThe losing and regaining control over drug intake (ReCoDe) TRR 265 framework is  divided into three research domains. Research Domain A relates to trajectories of alcohol and drug use; Research Domain B relates to mechanisms (eg cue reactivity) on different system levels (behavioural, neural, and molecular); and research Domain C focuses on the modification of mechanisms (eg, by increasing cognitive control via physical activity or neurofeedback).

3 domains

A

TRAJECTORIES

Longitudinal course of loss and regain of control in alcohol and drug use

B

MECHANISMS

Mechanisms (e.g. habituation) of loss and regaining of control during drug use at different system levels (behavioral, neural, molecular)

C

INTERVENTIONS

Mechanism-based interventions, such as increasing cognitive control through physical activity or neurofeedback

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