Can craving be modeled in animals? The relapse prevention perspective

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Behavioral Pharmacology
• Addiction Research

Background:

• The underlying mechanisms of craving remain largely unknown, hindering the development of generalizable animal models.
• Conditioned drug-like and drug-opposite responses are implicated in relapse during abstinence, suggesting their utility in modeling craving.
• Existing drug-conditioning models often lack specific focus on relapse factors and may not be suitable for all substances, like alcohol.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the adaptation of existing drug-conditioning models for studying craving and evaluating anti-relapse medications.
• To assess the suitability of these adapted models for both initial drug screening and complex behavioral analysis with predictive therapeutic value.
• To consider alternative animal models based on extinction and reinstatement for understanding alcohol relapse mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Review and adaptation of existing drug-conditioning animal models.
• Development of 'craving models' based on conditioned reinforcements.
• Consideration of extinction and reinstatement paradigms for relapse research.
• Evaluation of models for screening anti-relapse drugs and complex behavioral analysis.

Main Results:

• Existing drug-conditioning models can be adapted to serve as craving models, focusing on conditioned responses.
• Adapted models can be developed for screening potential anti-relapse drugs and for studying complex relapse behaviors.
• Novel models based on extinction and reinstatement may offer insights into alcohol relapse mechanisms.

Conclusions:

• Developing animal models of craving based on conditioned reinforcement is a promising avenue for understanding relapse.
• These models hold potential for evaluating the efficacy of anti-relapse therapies.
• The therapeutic benefits of better understanding relapse mechanisms through these models justify the research effort.