Physical Dependence on a Substance Occurs When the Effect of This Substance Rapidly Decreases after Withdrawal - Abstract
Using ants as models, we examined the effects of drugs, food additives and sweeteners on several physiological and ethological traits, including physical dependence. Seven drugs and a sweetener appeared to induce physical dependence. Each time, the effects of the product rapidly vanished after withdrawal, at least during a given time period. In contrast, fourteen other substances did not lead to dependence and, each time, the effects of these substances decreased slowly over time after withdrawal. The essential cause of physical dependence on a substance is thus a rapid decrease in its effect after withdrawal. This rapid decrease, even if short lasting, is perceived by the organism, which then wants to again consume the product. Humans must be aware that dependence will occur and must know the exact time period during which dependence may appear, i.e., the time period during which the effect of the substance
will rapidly decrease after withdrawal. Caring of patients during that critical time period may help avoiding dependence as well as weaning patients. The critical time period can be defined through experiments on biological models; ants can be such models. The present paper shows the slow decrease of the effects of 14 substances that do not produce dependence, as well as the
rapid decrease of the effects of 8 substances that lead to dependence. Moreover, the critical time period for the substances leading to dependence is each time defined. All this may interest readers and practitioners. For example, they may be interested in knowing the critical time period for nicotine, the difference between fluoxetine (the previously most consumed antidepressant, very toxic, inducing no dependence) and paroxetine (the currently most consumed antidepressant, less toxic but inducing dependence), the fact that sucralose leads to dependence, the difference between the analgesics paracetamol (inducing dependence) and ibuprofen (inducing no dependence), as well as the true action of glutathione.