Current CIHRfunded research Dr. Usoa Busto at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto is investigating why so many people with mood disorders are also addicted to alcohol, nicotine, or gambling. Bustos team has found that people with mental illnesses and a nicotine addiction may have lower than normal levels of dopamine, an important neurotransmitter in the brain.

This finding may have implications for treatment of both disorders. We may not only be able to use better treatments to deal with a patients mood disorder and substance abuse, but we may also be able to prevent their occurrence, says Busto.