MINI REVIEW article

Front. Neurosci.

Sec. Translational Neuroscience

Volume 19 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnins.2025.1548372

This article is part of the Research TopicNeurobiological Basis of Substance Use Disorders: New Findings and PerspectivesView all 4 articles

Neurobiological Intersections of Stress and Substance Use Disorders

Provisionally accepted
Vitor JulianoVitor JulianoKairo Allan Albernaz-MarianoKairo Allan Albernaz-MarianoLuiza Helena Halas CovreLuiza Helena Halas CovrePaloma Marinho JucaPaloma Marinho JucaRobbert Mota PereiraRobbert Mota PereiraAmadeu Shigeo-de-AlmeidaAmadeu Shigeo-de-AlmeidaLucas Luzia SampaioLucas Luzia SampaioErica De Almeida DuqueErica De Almeida DuqueCarolina Demarchi MunhozCarolina Demarchi Munhoz*
  • Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, SAO PAULO, Brazil

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Substance use has been intertwined with human history for millennia. Throughout the ages, people have consumed various substances for medicinal, spiritual, and recreational reasons, although occasional use differs significantly from substance use disorders (SUDs). Exposure to lifetime stressors constitutes a significant risk factor for both psychiatric disorders and SUD development and relapse. Indeed, hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis modulation, alterations in neuroanatomical and neurotransmitter systems, as well as neuroinflammation are common features of stress-related mood disorders and SUDs. In this mini-review, we will explore how stress exposure influences the SUDs' neurobiological basis on different scales—from large neural circuitries to specific molecular mechanisms—and discuss novel targets for potential treatments.

Keywords: HPA axis, Neuroinflammation, Mood Disorders, early life stress, substance use disorder

Received: 19 Dec 2024; Accepted: 07 Apr 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Juliano, Albernaz-Mariano, Covre, Juca, Pereira, Shigeo-de-Almeida, Sampaio, Duque and Munhoz. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Carolina Demarchi Munhoz, Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, SAO PAULO, Brazil

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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