Exercise as a novel treatment for drug addiction: A neurobiological and stage-dependent hypothesis

• Published in: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews Vol. 37; no. 8; pp. 1622 - 1644
• Main Authors: Lynch, Wendy J., Peterson, Alexis B., Sanchez, Victoria, Abel, Jean, Smith, Mark A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier 01.09.2013
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - metabolism; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - metabolism; Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly - physiology; Dopamine - metabolism; Drug addiction; Exercise - physiology; Exercise Therapy - methods; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Medical sciences; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Substance-Related Disorders - metabolism; Substance-Related Disorders - therapy; Physical exercise; Animal model; Drug addiction; Chromatin; Animal models; Dopamine; Neurobiological mechanisms; Clinical; Review; Epigenetic; Catecholamine; Glutamate; Treatment; Exercise; Addiction; Excitatory aminoacid; Neurotransmitter; Epigenesis

Physical activity, and specifically exercise, has been suggested as a potential treatment for drug addiction. In this review, we discuss clinical and preclinical evidence for the efficacy of exercise at different phases of the addiction process. Potential neurobiological mechanisms are also discusse...