Neural basis of substance use and addiction: Recent findings and treatment implications

Addiction remains one of the most pressing public health challenges of our time, and the landscape is shifting fast. The rise of synthetic opioids and polysubstance use, the explosion of behavioral and digital addictions (gaming, social media, gambling), and breakthrough treatments once considered fringe — such as GLP-1 receptor agonists and psychedelic-assisted therapies — have transformed both the questions we ask and the tools we use to answer them. At the same time, advances in human neuroscience, computational modeling, and artificial intelligence are giving us unprecedented resolution into the neural mechanisms that drive compulsive behavior and, crucially, recovery.This Research Topic seeks to capture this pivotal moment by exploring the latest findings in the neuroscience of addiction, with a focus on neurobiological mechanisms and their translation into next-generation treatment and prevention strategies. Despite significant progress, addiction continues to strain healthcare systems worldwide, and the gap between neuroscientific discovery and everyday clinical practice remains wide. Our goal is to bridge that gap — assembling research that not only elucidates the neural circuitry and molecular pathways implicated in addiction, but also points toward innovative, evidence-based, and increasingly personalized interventions.We are particularly interested in work that reflects where the field is heading: precision and computational psychiatry approaches, AI- and machine-learning-derived biomarkers, digital phenotyping and real-world data, and emerging pharmacological and neuromodulation therapies. We welcome original research articles, reviews, brief research reports, and opinion pieces.We invite contributions that focus on the following themes:• Neural circuitry and neurotransmitter systems underlying addictive behaviors, including reward, stress, and executive-control networks• Behavioral and digital addictions (gaming, social media, gambling) and their shared and distinct neural signatures• The neuroscience of emerging treatments, including GLP-1 receptor agonists, psychedelic-assisted therapy, and ketamine• Computational psychiatry and AI/machine-learning approaches to predicting risk, relapse, and treatment response• Advances in neuroimaging and multimodal biosignals (EEG, fMRI, wearables) for studying addiction in humans• Precision neuromodulation therapies (TMS, tDCS, deep brain stimulation) and closed-loop interventions• Genetic, epigenetic, and neuroinflammatory factors influencing susceptibility and resilience• The role of neuroplasticity in both the development of addiction and recovery• Neurobiological effects of substances of abuse, including alcohol, opioids, stimulants, nicotine, cannabis, and novel synthetic compounds• Interactions between environmental stressors, social determinants, and neural mechanisms• Sex and gender differences in the neural correlates of addiction• Neural changes due to addiction across the lifespan, from adolescence to older age• Translation of neuroscientific findings into pharmacological, behavioral, and digital therapeutic practiceThis Topic is a continuation of our previous Research Topic: Neuroscience of addiction: Bridging neurobiological insights with treatment innovations Topic editors: Chella Kamarajan, Ksenija Marinkovic, Ramaswamy Viswanathan Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/83522/neural-basis-of-substance-use-and-addiction-recent-findings-and-treatment-implications