Addiction is now recognized as a neurobiological and cognitive brain disorder and is generally viewed as a switch from recreational or voluntary to compulsive substance use despite aversive consequences. The habenula, composed of medial (MHb) and lateral (LHb) domains, has been implicated in regulating behavioral flexibility and anxiety-related behaviors and is considered a core component of the brain "anti-reward" system. These functions position the habenula to influence voluntary behaviors. Consistent with this view, emerging evidence points to alterations in habenula activity as important factors to contributing the loss of control over the use of drugs of abuse and the emergence of compulsive drug seeking behaviors. In this review, we will discuss the general functions of the MHb and LHb and describe how these functional properties allow this brain region to promote or suppress volitional behaviors. Then, we highlight mechanisms by which drugs of abuse may alter habenular activity, precipitating the emergence of addiction-relevant behavioral abnormalities.

中文翻译：

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从控制到强迫性吸毒：缰核在成瘾中的作用。

成瘾现在被认为是一种神经生物学和认知脑部疾病，并且通常被视为从娱乐性或自愿性物质使用到强迫性物质使用的转变，尽管会产生令人厌恶的后果。缰核由内侧 (MHb) 和外侧 (LHb) 区域组成，与调节行为灵活性和焦虑相关行为有关，被认为是大脑“反奖赏”系统的核心组成部分。这些功能定位缰核以影响自愿行为。与这一观点一致，新出现的证据表明，缰核活动的改变是导致对滥用药物的使用失去控制和出现强迫性药物寻求行为的重要因素。在这篇评论中，我们将讨论 MHb 和 LHb 的一般功能，并描述这些功能特性如何允许该大脑区域促进或抑制意志行为。然后，我们强调滥用药物可能改变缰核活动的机制，从而促使出现与成瘾相关的行为异常。