HYBRID EVENT: You can participate in person at Boston, Massachusetts, USA or Virtually from your home or work.
7th Edition of Global Conference on
Addiction Medicine, Behavioral Health and Psychiatry
October 19-21, 2026 | Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Reward Processing in Substance Use Disorders
Reward Processing in Substance Use Disorders
Substance use disorders (SUDs) fundamentally alter the brain's reward system, which is primarily governed by dopamine. Drugs hijack this system, providing exaggerated rewards that surpass natural stimuli, such as food or social interaction. Over time, this leads to diminished sensitivity, making ordinary pleasures less rewarding. The imbalance in reward processing perpetuates compulsive drug-seeking behaviors. Neuroimaging studies reveal significant changes in brain regions like the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex, which regulate motivation and decision-making. Treatment approaches aim to recalibrate the reward system through behavioral therapies and medications, promoting the restoration of normal functioning.
Committee Members
Nile Stanley
University of North Florida, United States
Ann Marie Leonard Zabel
Curry College, United States
Edie Raether
NeuroShifts and Wings for Wishes Academy, United States GAB 2026 Speakers
John Michael Weber
Open Door Mission in Houston Texas, United States
Owonaro Peter
Bayelsa State Drug Avuse Addiction Prevention and Rehabilitation Committee (BADAPARC), Nigeria
Sindu Padmanabhan
Bharathiar University, India
Andrew Drasen
A Vision of Hope Media, United StatesSubmit your abstract Today
Title : Integrating bibliopoetry therapy and digital health technologies for inflammation management: A neuropsychosomatic perspective
Nile Stanley, University of North Florida, United States
Title : Evaluation of prevalence and pattern of tobacco use in yenagoa city in bayelsa state south of nigeria
Owonaro Peter, Bayelsa State Drug Avuse Addiction Prevention and Rehabilitation Committee (BADAPARC), Nigeria
Title : Engaging learners through gamification, creativity, and human-centered design
Tero Moliis, Versantium, United States
Title : Neuropharmacological and regulatory drivers of tianeptine misuse in the united states: A growing public health concern
Darcy Tocci, NSU College of Pharmacy, United States
Title : Awakening sovereignty within: Healing trauma, releasing codependency, and returning to self-trust
Whitney Walker, Mental Health Therapist/ Podcast Host, United States
Title : You can save a life: Real conversations, real solutions for suicide prevention
frank King, The Mental Health Comedian, LLC, United States