The behavioral, anatomical and pharmacological parallels between social attachment, love and addiction. Burkett, J. P. & Young, L. J. Psychopharmacology, 224(1):1–26, November, 2012. ![The behavioral, anatomical and pharmacological parallels between social attachment, love and addiction [link]](https://bibbase.org/img/filetypes/link.svg "link")
Paper doi abstract bibtex Rationale Love has long been referred to as an addiction in literature and poetry. Scientists have often made comparisons between social attachment processes and drug addiction, and it has been suggested that the two may share a common neurobiological mechanism. Brain systems that evolved to govern attachments between parents and children, and between monogamous partners, may be the targets of drugs of abuse and serve as the basis for addiction processes. Objectives Here, we review research on drug addiction in parallel with research on social attachments, including parent-offspring attachments and social bonds between mating partners. This review focuses on the brain regions and neurochemicals with the greatest overlap between addiction and attachment, and in particular the mesolimbic dopamine pathway. Results Significant overlap exists between these two behavioral processes. In addition to conceptual overlap in symptomatology, there is a strong commonality between the two domains regarding the roles and sites of action of dopamine, opioids, and corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF). The neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin are hypothesized to integrate social information into attachment processes that is not present in drug addiction. Conclusions Social attachment may be understood as a behavioral addiction, whereby the subject becomes addicted to another individual and the cues that predict social reward. Understandings from both fields may enlighten future research on addiction and attachment processes.
@article{burkett_behavioral_2012,
title = {The behavioral, anatomical and pharmacological parallels between social attachment, love and addiction},
volume = {224},
issn = {0033-3158},
url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3469771/},
doi = {10.1007/s00213-012-2794-x},
abstract = {Rationale
Love has long been referred to as an addiction in literature and poetry. Scientists have often made comparisons between social attachment processes and drug addiction, and it has been suggested that the two may share a common neurobiological mechanism. Brain systems that evolved to govern attachments between parents and children, and between monogamous partners, may be the targets of drugs of abuse and serve as the basis for addiction processes.
Objectives
Here, we review research on drug addiction in parallel with research on social attachments, including parent-offspring attachments and social bonds between mating partners. This review focuses on the brain regions and neurochemicals with the greatest overlap between addiction and attachment, and in particular the mesolimbic dopamine pathway.
Results
Significant overlap exists between these two behavioral processes. In addition to conceptual overlap in symptomatology, there is a strong commonality between the two domains regarding the roles and sites of action of dopamine, opioids, and corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF). The neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin are hypothesized to integrate social information into attachment processes that is not present in drug addiction.
Conclusions
Social attachment may be understood as a behavioral addiction, whereby the subject becomes addicted to another individual and the cues that predict social reward. Understandings from both fields may enlighten future research on addiction and attachment processes.},
number = {1},
urldate = {2023-06-07},
journal = {Psychopharmacology},
author = {Burkett, James P. and Young, Larry J.},
month = nov,
year = {2012},
pmid = {22885871},
pmcid = {PMC3469771},
pages = {1--26},
}
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Objectives Here, we review research on drug addiction in parallel with research on social attachments, including parent-offspring attachments and social bonds between mating partners. This review focuses on the brain regions and neurochemicals with the greatest overlap between addiction and attachment, and in particular the mesolimbic dopamine pathway. Results Significant overlap exists between these two behavioral processes. In addition to conceptual overlap in symptomatology, there is a strong commonality between the two domains regarding the roles and sites of action of dopamine, opioids, and corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF). The neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin are hypothesized to integrate social information into attachment processes that is not present in drug addiction. Conclusions Social attachment may be understood as a behavioral addiction, whereby the subject becomes addicted to another individual and the cues that predict social reward. Understandings from both fields may enlighten future research on addiction and attachment processes.","number":"1","urldate":"2023-06-07","journal":"Psychopharmacology","author":[{"propositions":[],"lastnames":["Burkett"],"firstnames":["James","P."],"suffixes":[]},{"propositions":[],"lastnames":["Young"],"firstnames":["Larry","J."],"suffixes":[]}],"month":"November","year":"2012","pmid":"22885871","pmcid":"PMC3469771","pages":"1–26","bibtex":"@article{burkett_behavioral_2012,\n\ttitle = {The behavioral, anatomical and pharmacological parallels between social attachment, love and addiction},\n\tvolume = {224},\n\tissn = {0033-3158},\n\turl = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3469771/},\n\tdoi = {10.1007/s00213-012-2794-x},\n\tabstract = {Rationale\nLove has long been referred to as an addiction in literature and poetry. Scientists have often made comparisons between social attachment processes and drug addiction, and it has been suggested that the two may share a common neurobiological mechanism. Brain systems that evolved to govern attachments between parents and children, and between monogamous partners, may be the targets of drugs of abuse and serve as the basis for addiction processes.\n\nObjectives\nHere, we review research on drug addiction in parallel with research on social attachments, including parent-offspring attachments and social bonds between mating partners. This review focuses on the brain regions and neurochemicals with the greatest overlap between addiction and attachment, and in particular the mesolimbic dopamine pathway.\n\nResults\nSignificant overlap exists between these two behavioral processes. In addition to conceptual overlap in symptomatology, there is a strong commonality between the two domains regarding the roles and sites of action of dopamine, opioids, and corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF). The neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin are hypothesized to integrate social information into attachment processes that is not present in drug addiction.\n\nConclusions\nSocial attachment may be understood as a behavioral addiction, whereby the subject becomes addicted to another individual and the cues that predict social reward. Understandings from both fields may enlighten future research on addiction and attachment processes.},\n\tnumber = {1},\n\turldate = {2023-06-07},\n\tjournal = {Psychopharmacology},\n\tauthor = {Burkett, James P. and Young, Larry J.},\n\tmonth = nov,\n\tyear = {2012},\n\tpmid = {22885871},\n\tpmcid = {PMC3469771},\n\tpages = {1--26},\n}\n\n","author_short":["Burkett, J. P.","Young, L. 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