Introduction to Section IV

Section I of the book comprises six chapters, four of which are reprinted from peer-reviewed journals because these are important works that characterize the BDMA and the neuroscientific basis of addiction. Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 are written by, respectively, the former and current directors of NIDA, and each outlines a clear articulation of the argument that addiction should primarily be considered a disease of the brain. Chapter 4 describes the role of social context in the BDMA, whereas Chapter 5 presents a detailed model of the neurobiological adaptations that underpin habitual and compulsive drug-seeking behavior. The section is completed by two original chapters. Chapter 6 argues that the neuroadaptations that underlie incentive salience attribution warrant the label of brain disease. Chapter 7 illustrates the impact of the BDMA beyond the scientific and medical communities by describing how it can be reconciled with the underpinning philosophy of Alcoholics Anonymous and related 12-step groups. Collectively, the chapters in this section provide a clear articulation of the BDMA, including claims about the determinants of addictive behavior and the optimal targets for clinical and public health interventions.