Aging and the Neurobiology of Addiction

Addiction often results from using controlled (monitored by the Drug Enforcement Agency) or illicit sub- stances to produce pleasure or to dis- sociate from the consequences of life's events. Current evidence suggests that the addictive disease process stems from biogenetic predisposition, individual psychological profile, soci- ocultural influences, and drug expo- sure. Drug addiction places a signifi- cant burden on society due to its detrimental impact on health and its disturbance of social interactions in professional and personal contexts.. The prevalence of addictive disorders in the pain population remains unknown, and substance abuse and addiction in older adults is underesti- mated and poorly understood. By virtue of their disease states, older adults consume drugs of abuse at higher rates and, therefore, may be at increased risk of addiction. Few pub- lications clarify the magnitude of the problem or suggest methods of pre- vention or treatment.