Addiction as an Autonomic Biochemical Phenomenon: Evidence for Dissociation from Cognitive Memory Systems

Addiction has traditionally been conceptualized as a disorder of learning and memory, with cognitive-behavioral interventions targeting maladaptive thought patterns as primary treatment modalities. However, accumulating neurobiological evidence suggests a fundamental reconceptualization: addiction operates predominantly through autonomic, subcortical reward circuits that function independently of declarative memory systems. This preprint synthesizes evidence from neuroanatomical dissociation, persistence in cognitive impairment (dementia, coma), and protracted withdrawal, advocating ECS-targeted therapeutics over purely cognitive approaches.