Mesolimbic dopaminergic function influences addiction through effects on reinforcement learning, decision-making, and impulsivity. This review covers sex differences in dopaminergic neurochemistry, their hormonal and genetic determinants, and how differences in dopaminergic tone interact with sex and/or ovarian hormone status to affect cognitive functions. Findings from research on cigarette smoking reveal sex differences in striatal and midbrain dopamine D2-type receptor availability and striatal dopamine release that suggest mechanisms of nicotine dependence, and stronger subjective responses to nicotine and efficacy of nicotine replacement therapies in male smokers than in their female counterparts. Opportunities exist to extend such efforts in studies of how sex and hormone status influence other addictions.

中脑边缘多巴胺能功能通过对强化学习、决策和冲动的影响来影响成瘾。这篇综述涵盖了多巴胺能神经化学的性别差异、它们的激素和遗传决定因素，以及多巴胺能张力的差异如何与性别和/或卵巢激素状态相互作用以影响认知功能。吸烟研究的结果揭示了纹状体和中脑多巴胺 D2 型受体可用性和纹状体多巴胺释放的性别差异，这表明男性吸烟者对尼古丁的主观反应和尼古丁替代疗法的疗效比女性吸烟者更强. 有机会在性和激素状态如何影响其他成瘾的研究中扩展这种努力。