Judith Grisel, Ph.D.: "Never Enough: How Affective Homeostasis Creates Addiction" (02/25/19)

Regular use of any psychoactive drug causes the opposite effect. Chronic stimulants result in lethargy, sedatives lead to anxiety, and euphoriants guarantee misery. These consequences are so predictable because they follow directly from fundamental features of the nervous system, namely, its capacity to recognize, predict, and adapt to change. Behavioral neuroscientist Judith Grisel, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Bucknell University, will apply Solomon and Corbit’s Opponent Process Theory (1974) to understand the neural and behavioral changes wrought by chronic exposure to cannabinoids and narcotics and discuss how such adaptation during periods of rapid brain development results in lasting changes in brain structure and function that pave the way for future addictions.