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Addiction is a still an acute problem of nowadays. Drug addiction does not develop within the first taste of the drug and does not progress in each individual, who abuse drugs. Several factors play a role in this process, such as: factor of environment, stress and also genetic dispositions. This review summarizes all available findings about: what is addiction; how it develops; what brain structures and neurotransmitter systems play a role in it and what are the possibilities of its treatment in nowadays.

Function of the central nervous system is based on mutual relations among the nerve cells. Description of nerve cells and their processes, including their contacts was enabled by improvement of optical features of the microscope and by the development of impregnation techniques. It is associated with the name of Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723), J. Ev. Purkyne (1787-1869), Camillo Golgi (1843-1926), and Ramón y Cajal (1852-1934). Principal units of the neuronal network are the synapses. The term synapse was introduced into neurophysiology by Charles Scott Sherrington (1857-1952). Majority of the interactions between nerve cells is mediated by neurotransmitters acting at the receptors of the postsynaptic membrane or at the autoreceptors of the presynaptic part of the synapse. Attachment of the vesicles to the presynaptic membrane and the release of the neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft depend on the intracellular calcium concentration and on the presence of several proteins in the presynaptic element.

A mutation in the HCRT locus was proved in 18-yrs old male suffering from narcolepsy-cataplexy. He has demonstrated cataplectic attacks (brief spells of head dropping provoked by laughter) as well as imperative sleep in spells of several minutes up to one hour since the age of six months. He has suffered from severe bulimia since five years; later hypnagogic hallucinations, sleep paralysis and unquiet nocturnal sleep accompanied by periodic limb movements appeared. Symptoms are partially controlled with methylphenidate and either imipramine, clomipramine or fluoxetine. Periodic leg movements poorly responded to L-DOPA and clonazepam treatment. He is HLA-DQB1*0602 negative. Repeated MSLT (over 16 years followed-up period) showed extremely short latency with predominant SOREMPs and also nocturnal PSG recordings revealed fragmented sleep with SOREMPs. This case report demonstrates that hypocretin (orexin) mutations in human can produce the full narcolepsy phenotype and validates data recently reported in dog and mouse models suggesting a role for hypocretin (orexin) in the pathophysiology of narcolepsy and the regulation of REM sleep.

The dorsal horn of the spinal cord contains many transmitters and receptors involving in pain transmission and modulation. Monoamines and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) play a key role in the modulation at level of dorsal horn (DH) of the spinal cord, the site of primary processing of afferent nociceptive information. Agents that enhance the action of GABA at the GABAA receptors can produce antinociception. For example intrathecal administration of benzodiazepines increases pain threshold in various models of pain. There is also substantial evidence for robust antinociceptive properties of spinal administration of clonidine and other alpha 2-agonists.

The ideology of neuroendocrinological research in psychiatry as well as the most important findings in psychoneuroendocrinology are briefly reviewed. The paper is intended for postgraduate education in psychiatry and endocrinology.