Use of animal models to develop antiaddiction medications

Although addiction is a uniquely human phenomenon, some of its pathognomonic features can be modeled at the animal level. Such features include the euphoric "high" produced by acute administration of addictive drugs; the dysphoric "crash" produced by acute withdrawal; drug-seeking and drug-taking behaviors; and relapse to drug-seeking behavior after achieving successful abstinence. Animal models exist for each of these features. In this review, I focus on various animal models of addiction and how they can be used to search for clinically effective antiaddiction medications. I conclude by noting some of the new and novel medications that have been developed preclinically using such models and the hope for further developments along such lines.