Stress, corticoids and drug self-administration

Introduction. - Corticoids have an action on the central nervous system via receivers with high and low affinity. Synthesis of the facts. - On animal models (rodent), the self-administration of psychoactives substances, like cocaine, the amphetamine, the opioides, morphine alcohol, increases in the situations of stress or after corticoid administration acute, then returns in a basal state, on man. The chronic administration of corticoids or the repeated stresses involve, via a high and persistent cortisolemy a reinforcement of this effect and its fast reinstalment after weaning. Conclusion. - These results obtained on animal models are alarming if it were to be checked, even partially, at the man. The prevalence of stressing situations and long term treatments by corticoids in the practice of sport on a high level would be likely to be worsening factors and largely ignored while taking psychoactive substances, whether for entertaining or doping reasons. (c) 2005 Publie par Elsevier SAS.