Internet sex addiction treated with naltrexone
- PMID:18241634
- DOI: 10.4065/83.2.226
Internet sex addiction treated with naltrexone
Abstract
Malfunctioning of the brain's reward center is increasingly understood to underlie all addictive behavior. Composed of mesolimbic incentive salience circuitry, the reward center governs all behavior in which motivation has a central role, including acquiring food, nurturing young, and having sex. To the detriment of normal functioning, basic survival activities can pale in importance when challenged by the allure of addictive substances or behaviors. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter driving both normal and addictive behavior. Other neurotransmitters modulate the amount of dopamine released in response to a stimulus, with the salience determined by the intensity of the dopamine pulse. Opiates (either endogenous or exogenous) exemplify such modulators. Prescribed for treating alcoholism, naltrexone blocks opiates' capacity to augment dopamine release. This article reviews naltrexone's mechanism of action in the reward center and describes a novel use for naltrexone in suppressing a euphorically compulsive and interpersonally devastating addiction to Internet pornography.
Similar articles
- Naltrexone's effect on cue-elicited craving among alcoholics in treatment.Monti PM, Rohsenow DJ, Hutchison KE, Swift RM, Mueller TI, Colby SM, Brown RA, Gulliver SB, Gordon A, Abrams DB.Monti PM, et al.Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1999 Aug;23(8):1386-94.Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1999.PMID:10470982Clinical Trial.
- Naltrexone: A Pan-Addiction Treatment?Aboujaoude E, Salame WO.Aboujaoude E, et al.CNS Drugs. 2016 Aug;30(8):719-33. doi: 10.1007/s40263-016-0373-0.CNS Drugs. 2016.PMID:27401883Review.
- Nalmefene in the Treatment of Internet Pornography Addiction - A Case Report and Review of Literature.Yazdi K, Fuchs-Leitner I, Gerstgrasser NW.Yazdi K, et al.J Addict Med. 2020 Jul/Aug;14(4):348-351. doi: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000000602.J Addict Med. 2020.PMID:31972764Review.
- Treatment of Compulsive Pornography Use With Naltrexone: A Case Report.Kraus SW, Meshberg-Cohen S, Martino S, Quinones LJ, Potenza MN.Kraus SW, et al.Am J Psychiatry. 2015 Dec;172(12):1260-1. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2015.15060843.Am J Psychiatry. 2015.PMID:26619775No abstract available.
- The status of naltrexone in the treatment of alcohol dependence: specific effects on heavy drinking.Pettinati HM, O'Brien CP, Rabinowitz AR, Wortman SP, Oslin DW, Kampman KM, Dackis CA.Pettinati HM, et al.J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2006 Dec;26(6):610-25. doi: 10.1097/01.jcp.0000245566.52401.20.J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2006.PMID:17110818Review.
Cited by
- Extended-release naltrexone for methamphetamine dependence among men who have sex with men: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.Coffin PO, Santos GM, Hern J, Vittinghoff E, Santos D, Matheson T, Colfax G, Batki SL.Coffin PO, et al.Addiction. 2018 Feb;113(2):268-278. doi: 10.1111/add.13950. Epub 2017 Aug 29.Addiction. 2018.PMID:28734107Free PMC article.Clinical Trial.
- Diagnostic Stability of Internet Addiction in Obsessive-compulsive Disorder: Data from a Naturalistic One-year Treatment Study.Bipeta R, Yerramilli SS, Karredla AR, Gopinath S.Bipeta R, et al.Innov Clin Neurosci. 2015 Mar-Apr;12(3-4):14-23.Innov Clin Neurosci. 2015.PMID:26000201Free PMC article.
- Hedonic processing in humans is mediated by an opioidergic mechanism in a mesocorticolimbic system.Buchel C, Miedl S, Sprenger C.Buchel C, et al.Elife. 2018 Nov 16;7:e39648. doi: 10.7554/eLife.39648.Elife. 2018.PMID:30444488Free PMC article.
- The World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry guidelines on the assessment and pharmacological treatment of compulsive sexual behaviour disorder.Turner D, Briken P, Grubbs J, Malandain L, Mestre-Bach G, Potenza MN, Thibaut F.Turner D, et al.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2022 Dec;24(1):10-69. doi: 10.1080/19585969.2022.2134739.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2022.PMID:37522807Free PMC article.
- Current Understanding of Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder and Co-occurring Conditions: What Clinicians Should Know about Pharmacological Options.Mestre-Bach G, Potenza MN.Mestre-Bach G, et al.CNS Drugs. 2024 Apr;38(4):255-265. doi: 10.1007/s40263-024-01075-2. Epub 2024 Mar 14.CNS Drugs. 2024.PMID:38485889Review.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Related information
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources