Humans naturally seek out novelty and new experiences, and for some people that can lead to drug addiction. Repeated exposure to drugs can create powerful, persistent memories, and these drug-related memories can lead to addictive behavior and relapse, even after years of sobriety.

In this episode, neuroscientist Dr. Barbara Sorg talks about what happens in the brain when we have new experiences, evidence showing that drug addiction is a chronic brain disease, and how understanding the neuroscience of memories might help treat addiction. She also describes her own lab’s work with using animal models of addiction to weaken memories associated with cocaine.

In this episode, neuroscientist Dr. Barbara Sorg talks about what happens in the brain when we have new experiences, how drugs of abuse alter the structure and function of the brain, and how drug addiction is a chronic brain disease. She also describes her own lab’s work with using animal models of addiction to weaken memories associated with cocaine.

The talk Memory and the Neuroscience of Addiction was given at the Alberta Rose Theatre in December 2016.

Starting minute ~19:16 — 3D Medical Animation of Communication Between Neurons