Addiction is a state characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli, despite adverse consequences. It can be thought of as a disease or biological process leading to such behaviors. The two properties that characterize all addictive stimuli are that they are reinforcing (i.e., they increase the likelihood that a person will seek repeated exposure to them) and intrinsically rewarding (i.e., something perceived as being positive or desirable).
Addiction is a disorder of the brain's reward system which arises through transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms and occurs over time from chronically high levels of exposure to an addictive stimulus (e.g., morphine, cocaine, sexual intercourse, gambling, etc.).ΔFosB, a gene transcription factor, is a critical component and common factor in the development of virtually all forms of behavioral and drug addictions; two decades of research into ΔFosB's role in addiction have demonstrated that addiction arises, and the associated compulsive behavior intensifies or attenuates, along with the genetic overexpression of ΔFosB in the D1-type medium spiny neurons of the nucleus accumbens; due to the causal relationship between ΔFosB expression and addictions, it is used preclinically as an addiction biomarker. ΔFosB expression in these neurons directly and positively regulates drug self-administration and reward sensitization through positive reinforcement, while decreasing sensitivity to aversion.
Actors: Dominic Marcus (actor), Craig A. Thompson (editor), Craig A. Thompson (writer), Craig A. Thompson (producer), Wesley Tunison (actor), Kim St. Clair (actress), Kim St. Clair (actress), Suhel Polanco (miscellaneous crew), Richard Davis (producer), Richard Davis (director), Richard Davis (writer), Piper Blouin (actor), Christian Brodbeck (actor), Zachary Astone (actor), Steve Verhulst (actor),
Genres: Drama, Short,Actors: Kevin Sampson (miscellaneous crew), Rob Rusli (composer), Joshua M. Cohen (writer), Joshua M. Cohen (producer), Caleb J. Jackson (actor), Drew Louis (director), Octavius J. Johnson (actor), Larry Altmayer (actor), Kelvin Cook (actor), Mia Speight (actress), Hannah Ford (miscellaneous crew), Kitoya Williams (actress), Faith Altman (miscellaneous crew), Jorge Ramirez (actor), Cathy Lu (miscellaneous crew),
Genres: Drama, Short,Actors: Michael Burakow (editor), Michael Burakow (writer), Michael Burakow (actor), Michael Burakow (director), Nicholas Hawthorne (actor), Nicholas Hawthorne (writer), Nicholas Hawthorne (editor), Michael Malone (actor), Nicholas Hawthorne (director), Philipp Maximilian (actor), Tyler Watson (actor), Eric Holljes (composer), Bonnie Adams (actor), Elisabeth Benfey (producer), Elisabeth Benfey (actress),
Plot: A smart, though rebellious college student who smokes marijuana is forced to enter a drug rehabilitation center where he befriends an opiate addict, falls for an alcoholic, and tries to escape from the oppression of the center's domineering dogma.
Genres: Comedy, Drama,Actors: Andy Garcia (producer), Julio Oscar Mechoso (actor), Nestor Serrano (actor), Trevor Schliefer (miscellaneous crew), Oscar Torre (actor), Nate Parker (producer), Giovanni Rodriguez (actor), Jokes Yanes (editor), Jordi Vilasuso (actor), Katie Rotolo (miscellaneous crew), Katie Rotolo (actress), Michelle Poole (producer), Xavier Cortes (miscellaneous crew), Carlos David Rivera (miscellaneous crew), Dominik García-Lorido (actress),
Plot: In Miami, three lifelong friends, months away from high school graduation indulge in reckless behavior that finds them on the brink of either their graduation or their mortality. Their hopes hang in the balance-- one with academics, one with sports, and one with drugs.
Keywords: best-friend, coming-of-age, miami-florida, teenagerActors: Chris Dorman (actor), Tim Nelson (editor), Tim Nelson (producer), Tim Nelson (writer), Tim Nelson (costume designer), Tim Nelson (director), Aaron Levi (actor), Justin Jones (actor), Yemi Afolabi (actor), Nichol Trapp (actor),
Genres: Drama, Horror, Short,Actors: Kevin MacLeod (composer), Dustin Brown (actor), Dustin Brown (producer), Dustin Brown (writer), Dustin Brown (director), Dustin Brown (editor), David Dorcas (actor), Charles Landress (actor), Taylor Lanham (miscellaneous crew), Jonathan Rich (writer), Jonathan Rich (actor), Jonathan Rich (miscellaneous crew), Gintare Bandinskaite (actress), J.J. Roman (miscellaneous crew), J.J. Roman (actor),
Plot: A short comedy following the life of a chocolate cake addict, starting at his first experience and progressing through the stages of his addiction. A seemingly normal guy is transformed into a world of anguish and torment as his social and personal life falls apart. One by one he is isolated from friends and family. After losing his girlfriend and the onset of cake hallucinations, he decides to take up therapy. When his therapy session fails and his mom just about disowns him, he has no where else to turn and no more options to use, except for one last thing.
Keywords: chocolate-cake, deathActors: Tony Nikolakopoulos (actor), Steve Mouzakis (actor), Osamah Sami (actor), Pier Carthew (actor), John Evagora (writer), John Evagora (director), George Tsadilas (producer),
Genres: Drama, Short,Actors: Ben Andrews (actor), Todd Downing (writer), Todd Downing (director), Todd Downing (producer), Darlene Sellers (actress), Darlene Sellers (producer), Kevin Inouye (actor), Natasha Sims (actress), Wayne Bastrup (actor), Dennis Kleinsmith (actor), Eric Riedmann (actor), Max Clendaniel (miscellaneous crew), Heath Ward (producer), S. Joe Downing (actor), Marcel Davis (actor),
Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Short,Actors: John Fox (miscellaneous crew), David No (actor), Kelly Dolen (producer), Kelly Dolen (actor), Kelly Dolen (director), Kelly Dolen (writer), David W. Allen (writer), David W. Allen (director), David W. Allen (actor), David W. Allen (producer), Tamara Donnellan (actress), Sonia Heideman (editor), George Novak (actor), John Barresi (actor), John Barresi (actor),
Plot: When molecular biologist Michael Dorn is accidentally infected with a new virus he is developing, his life takes a dramatic turn. The virus turns its victims into a unique breed of elite vampires. Now on the run, with relentless bounty hunter Lance and informant vampire Gage in pursuit, Michael must decide the fate of the world. Follow this action packed, modern gothic fable, as we take you behind closed doors to reveal a virus so potent that it could change the evolution of mankind, a virus that is believed to be existing among us today...RVK-17.
Keywords: black-market, blood-lust, bounty-hunter, broken-mirror, car-chase, computer-generated-imagery, dead-wife, decapitation, dripping-blood, falling-from-heightActors: Kitty de Hoyos (actress), Jaime Sánchez (actor), José de San Antón (actor), Raúl Dávila (actor), Olga Guillot (actress), Otto Sirgo (actor), Gloria Piñeyro (editor), Jeddu Mascoretto (actor), Nydia Caro (actress), Jeronimo Mitchell Melendez (director), Félix Monclova (actor), Jeronimo Mitchell Melendez (producer), Jeronimo Mitchell Melendez (writer), Charlie Palmieri (composer), Marta Casanas (actress),
Genres: Drama,Got a habit don't think you're gonna like it.
I couldn't say if I really tried to hide.
Soon you'll notice, soon you'll need to ask why.
Did it hurt to know I lied all about it?
I didn't really try to cover up the tracks.
What, you don't like me?
You don't need me?
Did you ever know me then?
Stupid habit.
I'm just an addict or I'm just alone.
Dancing rain falls down upon the sill,
we dream wet little dreams from all the violent films
and the little kids in us can't live without the high.
Let's stand up on the roof and kiss me one more time.
Stupid habit.
If we never sleep again then we got one more time
to smoke and watch the city lights collide.