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Methods for Intravenous Self Administration in a Mouse Model
Published on: December 8, 2012
Intravenous drug self-administration in mice: practical considerations
Morgane Thomsen1, S Barak Caine
1Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Center, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478, USA. mthomsen@mclean.harvard.edu
Behavior Genetics
|January 18, 2007
Summary
Mice models are crucial for addiction research, helping predict drug abuse liability and test treatments. This review details technical advances and genetic considerations for intravenous drug self-administration studies in mice.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Genetics
Background:
- Chronic intravenous drug self-administration in rodents is vital for predicting human drug abuse liability.
- Genetically engineered mice are increasingly used to study addiction's genetic basis.
- Technical challenges exist in establishing self-administration behavior in mice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review technical innovations in mouse intravenous drug self-administration.
- To discuss theoretical considerations for comparing drug self-administration across mouse strains, including genetically modified ones.
- To highlight the influence of genetic background on gene-targeting study outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent technical advancements in rodent intravenous drug self-administration.
- Analysis of experimental approaches, including their pros and cons.
- Examination of data on genetic background effects in gene-targeting studies.
Main Results:
- Recent innovations facilitate chronic intravenous drug self-administration in mice.
- Genetic background significantly influences the results of gene-targeting studies on drug abuse.
- Standardized methodologies are essential for reliable cross-strain comparisons.
Conclusions:
- Optimized techniques enhance the utility of mouse models for addiction research.
- Understanding genetic influences is critical for interpreting gene-targeting studies.
- Mouse models provide valuable insights into the biological mechanisms of addiction and treatment efficacy.
