Our Blog:  Reflections on Psychiatry & Psychology

Drugs disrupt brain homeostasis by hijacking the dopamine reward system, producing intense pleasure that outweighs natural rewards. Repeated use rewires brain circuits, weakens self-control, and creates cravings, withdrawal, and relapse. Though genetics and environment influence risk, top-down control allows change and recovery.

New research shows the aging brain remodels — not just declines. Discover how the somatosensory cortex changes with age, why some layers thicken while others shrink, and what parvalbumin neurons and myelin reveal about brain aging and touch processing.

Drugs disrupt brain homeostasis by hijacking the dopamine-based reward system, producing powerful reinforcement and cravings. Repeated use causes brain adaptations, impaired impulse control, and stress-driven relapse. Genetics and environment increase risk, but recovery is possible through strengthened top-down control.