Animal models for addiction medicine: From vulnerable phenotypes to addicted individuals

This chapter highlights the use of several animal models of abuse liability. The overall goal is to describe the most frequently used methods, unconditioned behaviors and conditioned behaviors, and how investigators can use these techniques to compare drugs and to understand the mechanisms of action mediating abuse liability. Thus, for each type of animal model described, research will be highlighted on three general features related to the use of the model: (1) determine abuse potential, (2) treatment efficacy, and (3) brain-related changes associated with drug administration.