The group formed by the Psychobiology of Drug Dependencies Research Unit of the Universitat de València focuses on the study of the neurobiological mechanisms of the addictive behaviour, specifically:
As a main line, our group studies the relapse neurobiological mechanisms, being this one one of the fundamental processes to understand addictive behaviour as chronic and recurrent disease.
Other of our research lines is the study of the particular effects that the drug use produces during teenage years, being this a critical period in the development of the central nervous system.
Although the epidemiological studies show that the standard pattern for consumption is the polydrug abuse, most of the studies only evaluate the effects of one drug. For this reason, our research group has developed a polydrug use model that approaches in a more realistic way the consumption that teenagers do.
The study on the differences due to gender in the response to the impact of drug use and in the development of addiction to abuse substances.
Finally, our group studies the neurobiological mechanisms of sensitisation as a phenomenon related to the drug’s addiction level, which may contribute to understand the transition from the use to compulsive abuse characteristic of addiction.
In collaboration with other groups of the RTA (Dr. Consuelo Guerri, Dr. Antonio Armario), we are carrying out studies on the behavioural, biochemical and endocrine effects of the binging consumption of alcohol (street drinking) together with MDMA in teenage mice. Studies on the implication of CB1 cannabinoid receptors in the reinforcing effects of MDMA (Dr. Olga Valverde), and the study of comorbidity among disorders for drug use and psychiatric disorders through an experimental model (Dr. Paz Viveros).
Furthermore, we also collaborate with the Dr. Bruno Ribeiro do Couto (University of Murcia), with the Dr. Jose Fco. Pinazo Bensach (University Clinic Hospital, Valencia), with the Dr. Concepción Maldonado Adrián, currently at the John Hopkins University (Baltimore, USA), the Dr. Carlos G. Aragón (Universitat Jaume I of Castellón).
As ultimate objective we aim to contribute to the knowledge of the mechanisms that lie beneath relapse in drug abuse, the long-term consequences of drug abuse during teenage years and the effects of the polydrug use, to contribute to the prevention and treatment of this disease.
- The main work lines are the following:
- Involvement of the glutamatergic and gabaergic systems in relapse.
- Influence of stress in relapse.
- Reinforcing effect, relapse and neurotoxicity of MDMA.
- Prevention of relapse caused by social factors.
- Effects on prenatal exposure to cocaine
- MDMA, cocaine and alcohol polyabuse in teenagers
- Long-term effects of polyabuse during teenage years
- Involvement of the NMDA receptors and the nitric oxide in the sensitisation or morphine
- Inhibition of startle response as marker of vulnerability in the development of cocaine addiction.
