Abstract
Anabolic-androgenic steroid dependence and underlying roechanisms. Studies in humans suggest that, sometimes, abuse of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) can produce a psychoactive substance syndrome defined by DSM-IV criteria and similar to that of other abuse substances in the symptomatology and probably in the neurotransmision systems involved. Negative and positive secondary reinforcement seem to participate in the AAS dependence. In animals, the results of conditioned place preference indicate that a positive primary reinforcement mechanism is certainly possible too. However, results are contradictory. Studies in animals have shown that testosterone (T) acts as a discriminative stimulus and potentiates the reinforcing effect of other abused substances. At the present, the neurochemical mechanisms of abuse and dependence are not sufficiently studied. However, some studies suggest that the dopaminergic system could be responsible for the appetitive properties of T while the action of the opioid system could explain, partially, the withdrawal symptoms.
