Neuroscience-Based ‘Addictions Neuroclinical Assessment’ Proposed For Studying Addiction Disorder

Researchers affiliated with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have proposed using a new neuroscience-based research framework called the Addictions Neuroclinical Assessment (ANA). The ANA is based on three domains relevant for understanding addiction: It will include measures of behavior and brain function, plus genetic data.

Currently, addiction disorders are diagnosed by behavior patterns and the substance of abuse. However people who meet the clinical criteria for addiction to the same substance often experience wide variations in their response to treatment. The NIH researchers believe that ANA data could improve understanding of how addiction disorders differ at the biological . . .