Neurobiological Biomarkers for Developing Novel Treatments of Substance and Non-Substance Addiction

Many people suffer from substance (from nicotine or alcohol to heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, etc) or non-substance (from gaming/gambling to shopping, internet, smartphone, etc) addiction. Both types of addiction are associated with severe health, economic and social consequences and are far too often result in both familial and personal tragedies. Unfortunately, current treatments are not very effective for either substance or non-substance addiction so novel treatments are desperately needed. For example, for nicotine addiction, despite very well-documented health risks of cigarette smoking and its economic and societal costs, globally, more than 30% of males still smoke, and although many smokers desire to quit, only approximately 5-30% will achieve abstinence with 6 months or more of the best available current treatments. And the story for nicotine addiction is far from unique, presenting a huge challenge for the entire addiction field. Therefore, there is a vital need to improve outcomes for the treatment of both substance and non-substance addictions. Recent work exploring neurobiological mechanisms of the treatment response at the molecular, cellular and systems levels with a broad range of technologies, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), genetics and genomics, have opened new avenues for developing novel treatments through the detection of neurobiological biomarkers predicting efficacious outcomes in addicted patients.

To facilitate the effectiveness of evidence-based treatments for substance and non-substance addiction, the goal of this Research Topic is to examine the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the treatment of addiction, shedding light on new paradigms and approaches. We welcome data from the basic research of addiction, as well as from clinical and intervention studies of addicted patients across multiple fields such as neuroscience, social medicine, philosophy and psychiatry. The aim of this Research Topic to highlight new interdisciplinary research, such as imaging genetics, on the treatment of addiction and especially studies detecting novel biomarkers. Detecting biomarkers will help accelerate advancements in the field by providing novel targets for treating substance and non-substance addiction, detecting treatment subgroups, better predicting treatment response , and improving overall outcomes.

Specific themes we strongly suggest addressing may include (but are not limited to) the following:
• The neural circuitry, genetics, epigenetics, and developmental attributes relevant to identifying more effective treatment for addiction.
• Potential biomarkers in addiction treatment related to cue reactivity, impulsivity, and cognitive control.
• The brain pathways that regulate responses to substance or non-substance related rewards.
• Impact of psychological and environmental risk factors on treatment outcomes for substance or non-substance addiction.
• Brain and brain-behavior biomarkers of the treatment response.
• Possible mediators and moderators of treatment response in addicted patients.
• The neuronal circuits that mediate craving or relapse in patients undergoing treatment for substance or non-substance addiction.
• Effects of early intervention for both treatment of addiction and for relapse prevention.
• The molecular pathways and neuronal circuits involved in new treatments of addiction.
• New pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches for treating addiction.

We welcome any manuscripts with a focus on identifying biomarkers for developing novel treatments of substance and non-substance addiction using brain imaging, genetic, epigenetic or other new approaches.