Gene M. Heyman / Medical School / gheyman@fas.harvard.edu

*Mind, Brain, and Behavior 95, Thursdays 4-6 p.m., Barker Center 024 (McFadden Room)

Seeks a comprehensive understanding of addiction and why it has been such a contentious topic. Readings and discussion address (1) the characteristics of addiction as revealed in biographies, epidemiological studies, clinical research, and experiments; (2) how drugs work; (3) genetic influences on drug use and behavior, including gene expression; (4) the nature of reward, focusing on food; and (5) a behavioral economic perspective on impulsivity and addiction. (catalog # 4890)